Mumbai, January 3: Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Sanjay Raut on Friday said they praised Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in the Saamana editorial as the state government had done a "commendable job" by getting the Naxalites operating in Gadchiroli district to surrender.

Raut hit out at the previous guardian minister of Gadchiroli, alleging that he appointed his agents and collected money that increased Naxalism. He said that Shiv Sena (UBT) appreciates that the Chief Minister has taken charge of Gadchiroli as the guardian minister. 'Amit Shah Gave Birth to This Non-Biological Shiv Sena': Sanjay Raut Attacks Eknath Shinde-Led Shiv Sena, Says 'Duplicate Shiv Sena Has Its Boss in Delhi' (Watch Video).

"We have praised Devendra Fadnavis because the government has done a good job. Maharashtra is our state and a place like Gadchiroli which is affected by Naxalism - if the Naxalites surrendered and opted for the constitutional path - we welcome that. The earlier 'guardian minister' could have done that - but instead, he appointed his agents and collected money that increased Naxalism... We have worked with Devendra Fadnavis - that relation goes on, but we are in the opposition and we will continue to raise the issues as well," Raut told reporters in a press conference.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) MP further said that Gadchiroli's development will be "good" for the entire Maharashtra. Raut said that they have appreciated Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well when he has done good work. 'PM Modi Is Afraid of Arvind Kejriwal': Sanjay Raut Attacks BJP Over Arvind Kejriwal's Arrest, Says, 'Delhi CM Is More Dangerous As He Will Work From Jail' (Watch Video).

"I have seen the visuals of Naxalites, surrendering their arms and accepting the Indian constitution, so if someone does that it must be appreciated. If a district like Gadchiroli is developed it's good for the whole state and if it becomes the steel city of Maharashtra, nothing is better than that. If Devendra Fadnavis is taking such initiatives, it needs to be appreciated. We have criticised PM Modi also, but when he does something good, we do appreciate him," Raut said.

He said that people only thought about extorting money from the industrialists who aspired to start work in the Naxal-affected district. However, the situation seems to be changing and it needs to be appreciated, Raut added. "To date, it was a pattern that whichever industry comes to Gadchiroli, people think only about extortion from the industrialist who was aspiring to start something in Gadchiroli, but now it seems the things are changing and that must be appreciated," the Shiv Sena (UBT) MP said.

As many as 11 Naxalites, including Vimla Chandra Sidam alias Tarakka, who carried a bounty of Rs 1 crore, surrendered before the police in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli on Wednesday. The 11 Naxalites, including 8 women and 3 men, surrendered at Gadchiroli Police Headquarters.

They had bounties totalling more than Rs one crore on their heads. Chhattisgarh government had also announced a bounty on them. Among those who surrendered were Tarakka Sidam, the head of the Dandakaranya Zonal Committee and wife of Bhupati, who had been involved in Naxalism for 34 years.

The surrendered Naxalites included three division committee members, one deputy commander, and two area committee members. Each of them was provided with a financial aid package worth Rs 86 lakh to support their new lives. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who was present during the surrender, expressed confidence that Naxalism would soon be eradicated from the state.

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