Naxal victims visit Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma to express heartfelt gratitude
The villagers of Bastar, who have endured a painful life after losing their legs in various IED blasts carried out by Naxalites while engaged in their daily routines—such as collecting forest produce or farming—are now receiving support through artificial limbs, thanks to the initiative of Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai and Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma.
In the first phase of this initiative, six individuals affected by Naxal violence received training to walk with artificial legs at the Physical Referral Rehabilitation Centre, Samaj Kalyan Parisar, Mana Camp, Raipur.
These individuals, who had become dependent on others for mobility after losing their legs in an IED blast, were so thrilled to receive artificial legs that they walked on their own to the residence of Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma to express their joy.
It is worth mentioning that around 70 Naxal victims from the Bastar region traveled to Delhi in September, where they staged a protest at Jantar Mantar. They met President Smt. Droupadi Murmu and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to share their stories and appeal for peace in Bastar.
Upon their return, Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Vijay Sharma engaged with each victim at his office, inquiring about their well-being and facilitating the provision of artificial legs for those who had lost limbs in IED blasts.
Under the direction of Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma, the process of providing artificial limbs to Naxal violence victims has commenced with the assistance of the Social Welfare Department.
Nine Naxal victims were scheduled to come from Bastar to receive artificial legs; however, three were unable to attend due to personal reasons.
Six individuals—Guddu Lekam, Khairkam Joga, Rajaram, Somli Khatri, and Avalam Mara from Bijapur, as well as Sukki Madkam from Sukma—received prosthetic legs at the Physical Referral Rehabilitation Center, Samaj Kalyan Parisar, Mana Camp, Raipur.
With their new prosthetic legs, these Naxal victims are experiencing a renewed sense of hope. They conveyed their feelings at Deputy Chief Minister Sharma’s residence, stating that they now feel more independent and are looking forward to moving ahead in life. While they acknowledge that the losses inflicted by the Naxalites cannot be compensated, they expressed gratitude for the sensitivity shown by the Chhattisgarh government in providing them with prosthetic legs and a renewed enthusiasm for life.