Chattisgarh: Deputy CM Vijay Sharma hails 'Bastar Olympics' for keeping youth away from 'red terror'

Jagdalpur (Chhattisgarh) [India], December 15 : Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma highlighted the importance of Bastar Olympics in the region, stating that it is providing the youth with a platform to showcase their talent in sports and avoid the dark path of Naxalism.
The 'Bastar Olympics' is an annual event held by the Chhattisgarh Sports and Youth Welfare Department, meant to help the youth and other victims of naxal activities showcase their sports talent.
The event kickstarted on November 5 from the Bastanar block in the Jagdalpur district and spans across the seven districts of Bastar--Kanker, Kondagaon, Bijapur, Bastar, Sukma, Dantewada, and Narayanpur.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah is also scheduled to attend the event in Bastar on December 15 and will distribute prizes to the winners of the Bastar Olympics.
"Bastar Olympics is for the youth of the region, to help them find their talent, and to find their place in sports, so that all over India Bastar's youth can shine and no one tries to go over to 'red terror'," Chhattisgarh Deputy CM told ANI.
Several victims of Naxal violence also participated in the event.
"My father and my brother and two other people from my village were killed by calling them police informers. They were killed in 2012," said Nagesh Wacham, a participant at the event.

Recounting the death of his father and brother, he said that his father was first taken away by Naxals and harassed constantly.
"We had gone to the forest with my father to collect wood. We were loading wood from a tractor into the tractor. From there, they called my father and took him away, saying he had some work. And from there, they kept him roaming around for 9 days without giving him food, in the summer season, he was harassed for 9 days," Wacham said.
After nine days of harassment, he said that a 'Jan Adalat' was called by the Naxals, where his father was killed in front of other people.

Another player, Vinod Wacham, recounted that his father was killed after being branded a 'police informer' with an axe in his own home in 2007. He also claimed that the Naxals cut off his ear and tongue too.
"My father was killed in my house by accusing him of being a police informer. One day in 2007, they (naxals) came from Kutru. They said that they told my father that he supports the policemen. Two people were killed with him," he said.
"They were killed with an axe. They also cut off his ear and took it away. They also cut off his tongue and took it away. I was a child at that time. I remember little," he added.
Vinod Wacham says that he has come here to participate in the Kabaddi event and is currently a constable.
The Bastar Olympics encompass a range of sports, including athletics, archery, badminton, football, hockey, weightlifting, karate, kabaddi, kho-kho, volleyball, and tug-of-war.
Over 1,65,000 people competed, with even former Naxals joining with zeal, using this platform as a fresh start.
This initiative not only promotes sports but also provides an opportunity for the youth to showcase their talents and contribute to the region's development.