Chidambaram slams Orissa for surge in naxal violence

Union home minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday slammed the Orissa government for its failure to contain Naxal violence in the state despite adequate Central support.

Terming the Naxal violence in the state as 'unacceptably high', he said, “Still, 60 police stations in Naxal affected areas are affected. The number of civilian and police casualty in Maoist violence was 48 by the end of October and it may go well beyond 50 by the end of the year. This is an unacceptably high level of casualty. Effectively, we have inducted 10,000 Central armed constables and officers in the state. Four years back, we had only four batallions but on Wednesday, we have 13 Central battalions besides one batallion of cobra force. I have impressed upon the state government to show results.”

He urged the state government to learn from the Centre's experience and also from other states regarding combating Naxalite violence.

“There was a review meeting on Naxalite insurgency in New Delhi in January this year. The Orissa Chief Minister had also met me in July. After four months, we have reviewed the situation of Naxal violence in Orissa. It was a mutually beneficial review and I have learnt the state's problems,” said the home minister.

“I think the edge of Naxalites would be blunted. There is progress but then I think there is great scope for improvement,” he added.

The state Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, however, claimed the Naxal violence in the state has been considerably less this year compared to last year.

“We informed the Union home minister that we have always been alert and vigilant in dealing with Maoist violence and we have done well with the development funds meant for Naxal areas,” Patnaik told newspersons here.

On Chidambaram's suggestion that the state should learn from the experience of Centre and other states, he said, “Hopefully, the Centre and other states should learn from Orissa. We are always open to learn if is beneficial for the people of the state.”

Patnaik said that the state government had reminded the visiting Union minister regarding the state's requirement for flood, requesting him to expedite Central assistance.