The operational and structural modalities of the Joint Task Force (JTF) to counter Left extremism will be decided on the sidelines of the conference of DGPs and IGPs here from October 5.According to sources, the Home Ministry is apprehensive that the consensus on the JTF reached among Naxal-affected states—during the CMs’ meet recently—may be undone if the mechanism is not institutionalised as soon as possible.Besides, the existing two-pronged strategy to deal with Naxalism—police action and development work in backward areas—have failed to come up with the expected results due to the lack of a large-scale joint action by the states concerned.Senior Ministry officials said that Home Secretary V K Duggal would meet the police chiefs of Naxal-affected states to work out the modalities. The Ministry would seek the presence of chief secretaries of the Naxal-hit states in these meetings, sources said.The Ministry, they added, would suggest that the command of these JTFs—an issue that is still to be resolved—be rotated among neighbouring Naxal-affected states that will be part of the force. On the operational side, the Ministry may suggest that members of each JTF be informed in advance of the operation instead of putting in place a rigid code.
