Raipur, Aug 15 (IANS) For the first time since Independence, the national flag was hoisted in nine villages of Abujhmad, Chhattisgarh, on the 80th Independence Day, marking a historic moment for communities long trapped under the shadow of Naxal violence.
Villagers in Korskodo, Hachekoti, Adnar, Boter, Kumnar, Diwalur, Gundekot, Rekapal and Rasmeta celebrated the occasion with open pride and enthusiasm, free from the fear that had silenced such observances for decades, police officials said.
These remote villages were once among the most heavily Naxal‑affected areas in the region, serving as hideouts and operational bases for top Naxal leadership. The climate of intimidation made it impossible for residents to celebrate national festivals or hoist the Tricolour without risk.
That changed after the area was declared free of Naxal influence on March 31, 2026. This Independence Day became the first opportunity for the villagers to raise the national flag with full dignity and collective joy, the officials further said.
As the Tricolour fluttered against the sky, faces that had long lived under threat lit up with a visible sense of relief and belonging. The simple act of flag‑hoisting carried deeper meaning. It signalled the end of an era of fear and the beginning of open participation in the democratic life of the country.
Residents saluted the flag, shared the festive spirit and expressed their desire to join the national mainstream after years of isolation. Local celebrations reflected both emotion and hope.
For many villagers, the day was deeply personal, an affirmation that peace had returned and that development and democratic values could now take root. The event stood as a clear testament that Abujhmad is moving beyond violence towards stability and inclusion.
In these nine villages, the Indian Tricolour now flies where Naxal control once prevailed. The moment captures a quiet but powerful shift: freedom replacing fear, peace replacing conflict, and the promise of a shared national future taking hold in a region long kept apart from it.
–IANS
sktr/dan
