Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh talks tough against Maoists 28-06-2014
NEW DELHI: The
government on Thursday ruled out holding any talks with Naxalites but said a
balanced approach will be adopted in close coordination with states to tackle
the violence perpetrated by Maoists.
Home Minister
Rajnath Singh told the top civil and police brass of ten Maoist-hit states that
enough funds will be provided to equip and modernise their respective police
forces and asked them to give a fitting reply if the Maoists try to challenge
their authority.
“There is no
question of any talks now. We will take a balanced approach. But the forces
will give a befitting reply if the Naxals launch attacks,” Singh told reporters
after chairing a high-level meeting.
Chief Secretaries
and DGPs of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, West Bengal, Madhya
Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and chiefs of
paramilitary forces like CRPF and BSF and top officials of the Home Ministry
attended the meeting.
This was for the
first time that the new Home Minister was briefed by each of the states about
the Maoist menace in their respective areas as Singh spelled out the priorities
of the NDA government.
A Home Ministry
official later said talks with the Maoists will be held only when the rebels
shun violence and come forward for dialogue. During the meeting, the Home
Minister asked all states to adopt a uniform and concerted approach to tackle
the Maoist movement.
The states assured
him of their full support to the central government’s initiatives in this
regard, the official said. Singh said that the Home Ministry will fully fund
formation of special forces on the lines of the elite anti-Naxal force
Greyhounds of Andhra Pradesh and initially such squads will come up in the four
states of Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Jharkhand and Bihar.
The nearly
four-hour long meeting also decided that the central government will
micro-manage the ongoing road construction works in Naxal-affected states for
their better and time-bound completion. |