In a significant development in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district, 22 Maoists, including nine women, laid down arms before security forces, expressing disillusionment with the Maoist ideology and its violent impact on tribal communities.

Among the surrendered, 12 were carrying a combined bounty of Rs 40.5 lakh. The surrender took place in the presence of senior officials from the police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). Sukma Superintendent of Police Kiran Chavan confirmed the development, highlighting the role of various government schemes and the updated rehabilitation policy in encouraging the cadres to give up arms.

Key Maoist figures among those surrendered

Those who surrendered include Muchaki Joga (33), deputy commander in the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) company no. 1 under the Maad division, and his wife Muchaki Jogi (28), a member of the same squad. Both carried a bounty of Rs 8 lakh each.

Other notable names are Kikid Deve (30) and Manoj alias Dudhi Budhra (28), area committee members of the Maoists, each carrying a reward of Rs 5 lakh. Additionally, seven individuals carried a bounty of Rs 2 lakh each, while one was wanted with a reward of Rs 50,000.

According to officials, many of these Maoists were involved in several violent attacks against security personnel in the region.

Development schemes helped influence decision

Police officials said the surrender was influenced by the Chhattisgarh government’s ‘Niyad Nellanar’ (Your Good Village) scheme, which focuses on development in remote areas, as well as the newly introduced surrender and rehabilitation policy aimed at providing assistance to former Maoists.

All the surrendered individuals received an initial assistance of Rs 50,000 and will be rehabilitated under the government’s policy. Their surrender was made possible through coordinated efforts of the district police, District Reserve Guard (DRG), CRPF, and its elite CoBRA unit.

Growing trend of surrenders

The recent surrender is part of a larger trend. As per police records, 792 Maoists surrendered across the Bastar region, including Sukma, last year alone. This reflects a growing impact of state-led initiatives to counter insurgency through development and reintegration.

India has firmly rejected Bangladesh’s statement concerning the recent communal violence in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district, labelling it as an “unwarranted comment” and a case of “virtue signalling.” The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has advised Dhaka to turn its attention inward and ensure the safety and rights of its own minority communities.

The diplomatic exchange was sparked by a comment from Bangladesh’s press secretary Shafiqul Alam, who urged Indian and West Bengal authorities to ensure the safety of “minority Muslim populations” in the region, referring to the unrest related to protests against amendments to the Waqf Act.

Responding strongly, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal dismissed the remark as a “barely disguised and disingenuous attempt” to equate the situation in India with the “ongoing persecution of minorities in Bangladesh,” where, according to him, perpetrators continue to roam freely.

India’s pushback came in the backdrop of earlier data shared in Parliament by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. He informed that over 2,400 cases of atrocities against religious minorities had been reported in Bangladesh in 2024, following political unrest. In 2025, the number has already reached 72.

The Centre’s statement coincided with the announcement by West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose of his upcoming visit to the violence-affected Murshidabad district. Describing his intent to “impose peace at any cost”, the Governor’s decision drew a response from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who claimed that the situation was normalising and urged him to reconsider the timing of the visit.

According to a state report, the protests started peacefully on April 4 but escalated on April 8 when around 5,000 protesters blocked National Highway-12 at Umarpur. The mob allegedly attacked police with firebombs, sharp weapons, and iron rods. Government vehicles were also targeted in the clash.

Further violence was reported on April 11 in Suti and Samsherganj, where both public and private properties were vandalised. Police officials said they had to open fire at Sajur More in Suti in self-defence. So far, 278 individuals have been arrested in connection with the unrest.

The Congress on Thursday lauded the Supreme Court’s observations regarding the Waqf Amendment Act, 2025. Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal stated that the Court’s remarks have highlighted significant concerns raised by opposition parties both within and outside the Parliament.

In a post on X, Venugopal emphasised that the observations have opened the floor for a much-needed debate regarding the contentious legislation, which he argued was rushed through without adequately addressing the legitimate issues raised during the Joint Parliamentary Committee deliberations and subsequent discussions in Parliament.

During the hearing, the Supreme Court noted that Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, assured that no appointments would be made to waqf bodies until the next court date and affirmed that the character of waqf properties would remain unchanged. This revelation has prompted strong reactions from various political leaders.

“The Court’s pointed remarks raise serious constitutional questions about the Act’s infringement on fundamental rights and expose its divisive implications,” Venugopal added. “The fight to defend the idea of India — inclusive, plural, and just — will continue, in the courts and with the people.”

At a press conference following the Supreme Court’s ruling, Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi criticised the Amendment Act, declaring it “retaliation in the guise of reform.” He condemned the legislation as a veiled attempt to control religious autonomy, suggesting that it redefines community rights under bureaucratic oversight.

“The Waqf Amendment Act is not an exercise in efficiency as it pretends to be. It is an exercise in erasure,” Singhvi asserted, highlighting that the language used in the Act disguises a broader ambition for governmental control over religious matters.

Asaduddin Owaisi, chief of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (AIMIM), stated that the legal battle against the Waqf Amendment Act would persist. “The Supreme Court has issued a stay on the deletion of waqf by users and halted the formation of the Central Waqf Council and State Waqf Boards,” he noted. Owaisi criticised the Act as unconstitutional, reiterating his dissent during the parliamentary discussions on the bill.

In response to inquiries about whether the Supreme Court’s order provided relief, Owaisi cautioned against a simplistic interpretation, emphasising that under the Act, a Muslim must have been practising for five years to donate property as waqf.

The Supreme Court’s three-judge bench, led by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, also documented the Centre’s assurances regarding the suspension of appointments to the Central Waqf Council and State Waqf Boards under the contested amended Sections 9 and 14 of the Waqf Act. The next hearing has been scheduled for the week commencing May 5.

Solicitor General Mehta requested an additional seven days to compile a comprehensive response that encompasses over a century of legislative history surrounding the issue and the numerous representations received concerning the 2025 Act. He argued against a stay on the Act’s provisions based on a “prima facie or tentative reading” of certain sections, urging the Court to consider the broader context.