BJP-ruled states for integrated steps to curb Naxal menace

Close on the heels of Naxalite attacks in West Bengal, Bihar and Jharkhand, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has made a fresh appeal to the Centre for an integrated action to curb the growing menace.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi told Business Standard that Naxalism should be treated as a national problem and the Centre should provide additional assistance to the Naxal-hit states in this regard.

They suggested that the Centre should assist the affected states both in strengthening law-enforcing agencies as well as on the development front.

Singh has emphasised a need for taking up infrastructure development in the Naxal-affected regions and deployment of additional paramilitary forces. The Chhattisgarh chief minister has ruled out talks with the Naxals and informed that his government had launched offensive against the rebels in the jungles.

On the other hand, Modi has made a strong pitch for special corrective steps by the Centre on a priority basis to deal with the problem.

He claimed that despite little help from the Centre, the JD (U)-BJP government in the last five years was able to contain the Naxalite violence, barring stray incidents.

According to home ministry data, more than 1,500 Naxals are active in major parts of Bihar. Of the 40 districts in Bihar, 31 have been declared Naxal-hit.

BJP President Nitin Gadkari, while aggressively taking up the BJP-ruled state’s plea, suggested that arms and ammunition available with the Naxals had to be flushed out. The leaks in the border security which enable the smuggling of these arms have to be eliminated. He said the BJP would launch a nation wide agitation on this issue.