Raipur: Vice President C P Radhakrishnan on Wednesday said parts of Chhattisgarh had faced the grave challenge of Left Wing Extremism (LWE) for decades, but the state has now overcome the menace and is witnessing a new dawn of development, progress and prosperity.
Addressing the third convocation of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Raipur, Radhakrishnan said areas once marred by violence are increasingly being identified with roads, schools, hospitals, connectivity, investment and development opportunities.
For decades, parts of Chhattisgarh faced difficulties, inadequate connectivity and a grave challenge of LWE. In many of its remote and tribal areas, fear and violence became obstacles to development, he noted.
"Where roads should have been built, there were barriers, where schools should have flourished, there was disruption, and where hospitals and healthcare should have reached our tribal and remote communities, there was often only deprivation," the Vice President said.
"But today's Chhattisgarh has come out of the shadows of its past. It is a great achievement and great news for all of us. It is witnessing a new dawn of development, progress and prosperity," he said.
Under the decisive leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, strategic resolve of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and committed leadership of Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, the state has "turned a historic corner" and the Naxal menace of decades has been brought to an end, Radhakrishnan noted.
"This transformation is a powerful example of the difference that strong political will, firm security policy and development-oriented governance can make," he said.
The Vice President further said AIIMS Raipur stands as one of the finest symbols of the new Chhattisgarh, which is moving from an era of fear and deprivation to one of peace, progress and possibility.
AIIMS Raipur was established in 2012 to address regional disparities in healthcare, medical education and research, particularly in central India, he noted.
"In a remarkably short period, it has evolved into a major tertiary care institution serving Chhattisgarh and neighbouring states, including rural and tribal communities," he said.
"The growth of AIIMS Raipur is also a reflection of the remarkable transformation taking place in Chhattisgarh and across the country," Radhakrishnan said.
