‘Whisker Away From Naxal-Free India': Times Group MD Vineet Jain Welcomes Home Minister Amit Shah At Times Now Summit 2026

Times Group MD Vineet Jain on Friday set the tone for the closing session of the Times Now Summit 2026 by welcoming Union Home Minister Amit Shah, hailing him as "a leader whose work continues to redefine the foundations of a stronger, more secure India’, praising reforms, jobs push and noting that India is close to becoming Naxal-free.

Mr. Vineet Jain opened his address by crediting the strategy and hard work of the H’nble Home Minister, which ‘continues to redefine the foundations of a stronger, more secure India.’ He said, “Between yesterday and today, we had multiple engaging and insightful sessions covering variety of topics. From governance reforms to global positioning, the ideas shared here reflect both ambition and action. In many ways, these ambitions rest on the bedrock of stability, security and structural reforms. Areas where your leadership has been both decisive and transformative. Your exemplary work in empowering cooperatives and creating jobs for the common man through such reforms deserves applause. As we conclude this summit and look ahead to the journey of India at 100, there could be no better fitting voice to guide that vision than you.”

The H’nble Home Minister took the stage and gave his clear, strategic views on the effect of the West Asia War on India, especially with the concerns on petroleum products. He reiterated that there is no plan to impose restrictions like those seen during the pandemic. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured that there will be no lockdown,” he said. He further mentioned, ‘when diplomacy is involved in global crisis, discussions are made under closed doors to not spread panic.’ Shah underlined that India has managed to maintain stable fuel supplies and prices even as global oil markets remain volatile due to geopolitical tensions. “We want to use the summit stage to tell the people - we need to understand what is happening in the world'. Prices have risen everywhere.

“India is the only country where with zero increase in petrol and diesel prices, we are ensuring uninterrupted supply,” he added. Responding to criticism over the government’s handling of the crisis, he said the Centre has taken on the financial burden to shield citizens.

“I believe there is no other country in the world that has taken the entire burden of the crisis upon itself,” the Home Minister said. He added that the government’s ability to cut excise duties on petrol and diesel stems from the strength of the Indian economy. Today, the Indian Government is able to take a cut on its excise duty due to a resilient economy,” he explained.

“We have been planning for this for the last 10 years. For 10 years the government has worked in increasing reserve capacity and electrification for energy diversion. We have diverted 98% of the railways to electricity. We have ensured that there is no shortage of petroleum products and households keep running at the same time'.

About the All Party Meeting on the West Asia War he clarified, ‘All political parties were present in the all party meeting. We were told Rahul Gandhi was attending to his mother. All are determined to safeguard India's interests, no divide there'. Amit Shah says that India doesn't want to get involved in any war when asked which side of the conflict Bharat is in the Middle East conflict. He mentioned, “Our foreign policy allows us to speak with everyone, without taking a side.”
On the upcoming Bengal Election and SIR process allegations of TMC, Shah said, 'There are no complaints from other states. why just Bengal? If complaints are not coming from everywhere but are coming from only one place, then the fault lies with those in power because they know that the public has decided.’

He further mentioned, ‘When I was party president, I had said I will try that BJP is elected in all states'. Home Minister Amit Shah has said that this time Mamata Banerjee will not get any sympathy votes. In another statement, he asked, "Have you ever seen a sitting CM go and sit in the middle of a raid" referring to the incident when she stormed in the middle of ED action and seized a pen drive and other documents from the law enforcement agencies.”

He also mentioned that NDA will form the government in Tamil Nadu and win the Assam Elections ‘for the third time with over 90 seats.’ He closed the session saying, ‘We are winning again in 2029’.

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