Leaders cutting across party lines today said the Centre and states should adopt a joint strategy for combating the menace of Naxalism if development has to reach the affected areas. Addressing a forum organised by Jagran Group,Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha,Arun Jaitley,said that military strategy coupled with development is required for tackling the Maoists. CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury,Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh and president of Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik) Babulal Marandi,called for a joint action plan for fighting the problem. Jaitley said though initially the BJP felt that Home Minister P Chidambaram's resignation should be sought following the Dantewada incident,it was later felt by all the leaders that since he was taking decisive steps against the ultras,the party would not seek his papers. Doing so (seeking Chidambaram's resignation),Jaitley said,would have meant a victory for the Naxals. He further said while development is important in Naxal affected areas,strong military action is also required against them. Yechury said in order to tackle the Naxal menace,"states like Chhattisgarh,Jharkhand,Orissa and West Bengal,which are affected by this problem,will have to formulate a joint strategy against it in coordination with the Centre". "Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has also said that inclusive growth is important to resolve the Naxal issue. Issue of coordination arises only when Maoists are made to think about entering the mainstream," Yechury said. The CPI(M) leader added,if politicians fail to fulfil the basic needs of the common man,then the youth will naturally take up violence. "Inclusive growth and all round cooperation is needed for resolving this problem," he said while the addressing the forum.
