The Hindu : National : Chidambaram to convene meet on naxal menace

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Chidambaram to convene meet on naxal menace

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram will convene a meeting of the Chief Ministers of the naxal-affected States next month to discuss the Maoist problem, which has assumed “alarming proportions” in some districts.

The meeting will fine-tune plans to tackle the threat the naxals pose to internal security, he told the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, while replying to supplementaries.

He asked the Chief Ministers of the affected States to renew their appeal to the naxal leaders to lay down arms and come forward for talks, and the Centre would facilitate the process. He was responding to Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh’s claim that he had successfully resolved the problem in some districts of Uttar Pradesh through talks.

Admitting that the problem had become “grave and intense” in the past two months, Mr. Chidambaram said the Chief Ministers would be briefed about the plans drawn up to tackle the menace. The plans had been prepared in consultation with the State governments, and some strategies, being used in some States, had been integrated.

Pointing out that there was no concrete evidence for naxals getting funds from foreign countries, Mr. Chidambaram said the militants collected money from within the country through looting of banks and armouries, and also from tribals who supported them. It was no longer a disjointed and un-coordinated action by some groups, he said, but a structured movement led by the Communist Party of India (Maoist).

Informing the House that the Centre had allocated Rs. 1,250 crore to the States for police modernisation, he said some States were not fully equipped to tackle the menace, and the Centre would extend them all possible help.

The government, he said, was adopting a two-pronged strategy: clear and hold the areas occupied by the naxalites; and carry out development works later.

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