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Former women Naxalites who once carried weapons in the forests of Bastar recently walked the ramp at a National Handloom Day event in Raipur, showcasing handloom outfits after surrendering and joining the mainstream.
Nine surrendered women from Sukma participated in the Swadeshi fashion show as part of rehabilitation efforts for former Naxalites. According to Sukma SP Mayank Gurjar, the women also helped spread awareness about Swadeshi products during the event. A surrendered Naxalite who said she had worked with the Pamed Area Committee recalled their experience in Raipur, where the participants underwent six days of training. "I used to work in the Pamed Area Committee. I surrendered in 2026. We went to Raipur recently. There, we were trained by people who had come from Bombay...prominent ministers also came. The training was of six days...it was the first time we did something like that...we enjoyed it," the former Naxalite said. Another surrendered Naxalite, Poonam Devi, said she surrendered on July 12, 2025, after joining the Naxalite movement in November 2007. "I surrendered on July 12, 2025. I liked the program...we were trained for it...I joined the Naxals in November 2007 and left in 2025," she said. SP Mayank Gurjar said the participation was part of the benefits being provided to surrendered Naxalites under the rehabilitation policies of the Government of India and the Chhattisgarh Government. "As you all know, through the rehabilitation policy of the Government of India and the Chhattisgarh Government, various benefits and advantages are being provided to surrendered Naxalites. In that context, on National Handloom Day, nine surrendered women who had surrendered in Sukma participated in a Swadeshi fashion show," he said. He added that the event demonstrated how people from tribal communities in Naxal-affected areas were getting opportunities to participate in activities outside their previous lives. According to the SP, the nine women had held different roles within the Naxal organisation. Some had worked in the Pamed Area Committee, while others had served as gunners for major Naxalite commanders in Battalion Number 1. "Among the nine surrendered women, some were working in the Pamed Area Committee. Some worked as gunners for major Naxalite commanders in Battalion Number 1. One of the surrendered women Naxalites was working as a teacher in a school," Gurjar said. He said the women had previously carried weapons, with one having carried an INSAS rifle, and had surrendered about six months earlier. Gurjar said their participation in the fashion show reflected a change in their outlook and growing trust in the government''s rehabilitation policy. "They are now actively promoting Swadeshi products and refining their artistic skills," he said. (ANI)
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