Anti-Naxal ops a success,will be intensified: Chidambaram

Asserting that the joint operations against the Maoists would continue,Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Friday said...

Asserting that the joint operations against the Maoists would continue,Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Friday said there was no question of inducting the Army for the anti-Naxal drive saying its objective was not to wage a war and kill anyone but to ensure that the administration regained control of areas where rebels have their presence.

The coordinated efforts taking place on the inter-state borders of Chhattisgarh,Maharashtra and Orissa are nearly a success. In todays review meeting,we have identified steps to be taken to further intensify the operation, he said after meeting Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh,Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik,Maharashtra Home Minister R R Patil and senior officials of the states,CRPF,BSF and ITBP.

The Naxalites have retreated from some places where the security forces have taken control while at some other places they are trying to engage the forces. The effort is to ensure that the security forces dominate a particular area without causing any collateral damage, he added.

Pointing out that Chhattisgarh,Maharashtra and Orissa were making coordinated efforts to contain the Naxalite menace,he said search operations were being carried out and police outposts being set up so that the civil administration could move in. The whole purpose is to bring developmentto construct schools,provide basic amenities and health facilities. The Centre has already earmarked funds for development of 33 worst-affected districts in the country, he added.

Asked why Jharkhand did not attend the meeting,he said: There is a new government in the state. Chief Minister Shibu Soren and senior state government officials are scheduled to visit Delhi on January 28 during which the issue would be discussed. When attention was drawn towards Jharkhand calling off its anti-Naxal drive and the CM claiming that nobody was a Naxal in Jharkhand and there are only some alienated people,he said,They are coming to Delhi. Let us discuss.

About steps being taken to coordinate anti-Naxalite operation with Andhra Pradesh which ends up as shelter for Naxalites from Chhattisgarh,Chidambaram said: Andhra has the best experience of fighting the Naxalites. Asked whether he felt the Salwa Judum model could be replicated elsewhere,he said chief ministers were entitled to decide their own model.

Which ideology kills children?

RAIPUR: Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Friday described as rubbish the propaganda being unleashed at the international level against the ongoing joint operations and strongly condemned the Maoists for killing two children in Bastar region of Chhattisgarh. Which ideology taught them to kill innocent tribal schoolchildren? This incident is enough to understand the true nature of menace of Naxalite ideology, he said. ens