Treading cautiously, Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren on Monday said he was not against using force to curb naxalism, but maintained that if the solution lay in talks then there was no need for a “confrontation.”
“If there is a need, then force can be used. But if the situation can be resolved without confrontation (takkar), why not solve it,” he told reporters this evening.
Mr. Soren was asked whether he would like to use force against naxals active in his State.
He said his government was formulating a strategy to deal with naxals and added he would like to ask those killing people to end violence and tell the government what they wanted.
“The question is whether they are naxals or not? The media has created a hype by claiming that naxals are active in the State,” he said.
The JMM leader said the state government’s strategy to deal with naxals will be formulated along with the Central government.
Mr. Soren, along with Deputy Chief Ministers Raghuvar Das and Sudesh Mahto, had met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh earlier on Monday. He termed the meeting a “courtesy call.”
It was his first visit to Delhi after taking over as chief minister of Jharkhand.
