Union Minister of State for Home Mullappally Ramachandran has said that the Union Home Ministry will provide all assistance to tackle the Maoist threat in the State.
He was talking to presspersons at Mananthavady in the district on Saturday.
Mr. Ramachandran said he had discussed the issue with Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and promised all assistance from the Union Ministry in this regard.
A senior official of the Union Home Ministry had discussed the issue with the Chief Ministers of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, and would hold talks with the State Home Department in the coming days, Mr. Ramachandran said.
Joint operation
The State government was yet to seek a joint combing operation of the Central forces and the Thunderbolt commandos, he said.
The Karnataka government had issued a shoot-at-sight order to tackle the Maoist menace, but the Kerala government was yet to issue such an order, Mr. Ramachandran said. Such an order would be executed by the Kerala government, if necessary, he said.
However, the social environment and security in Kerala were entirely different from that in other southern States. Moreover, the Maoist groups had no influence at the grassroots level in the State, Mr. Ramachandran said.
