Naxal meet focuses on cross-border links, weaponry

Continuing Naxalite violence came under sharp focus at a high-level meeting of the National Security Council chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today.

Continuing Naxalite violence came under sharp focus at a high-level meeting of the National Security Council chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today.

The meeting is believed to have looked at reports of linkages between the Naxalites and militant organisations in neighbouring countries. The nature of weaponry at the disposal of the militants was also taken up with reports pointing to the increasing levels of sophistication. Another issue high on the agenda was socio-economic development of regions where Naxalites are active.

Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil and Union Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta were among those who attended the meeting. A new concern is about their cadres cropping up in states like Punjab, Haryana and even in Delhi.

The last few months have seen several major strikes. These include the March 15 Rani Bodli massacre that left 56 dead in Chhattisgarh, the March 4 killing of JMM MP Sunil Mahato in Jharkhand and the 48-day economic blockade in June that disrupted economic activity and transport in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Orissa and West Bengal.

Security agencies have been concerned over the flow of sophisticated arms and easy availability of ammunition to Naxal cadres. There are reports that over the past few months, the quality of weaponry used by the Naxalites has gone way beyond the government supplies they traditionally looted, leading to the belief that they were getting these from other militant groups within the country and outside.

Recent strikes have also seen militants use bulletproof vests and helmets to minimise injury. The government has refused to confirm them, but there have been reports of Naxalites using night-vision devices as well.

With the Prime Minister describing Naxalism as the single-biggest security threat to the country, the Centre has put in place a multi-tier structure in place to deal with it. This includes an Empowered Group of Ministers headed by Home Minister Shivraj Patil. An inter-ministerial group has been trying to focus on the socio-economic development of Naxal-affected areas.

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On the funding front, the government reimburses money spent on modernising the police through the Security Related Expenditure scheme. For development, it has put in place the Backward Districts Initiative BDI and the Backward Regions Grant Fund programme.