Home ministry chalking out strategy to counter left wing terrorism

Home Minister Rajnath Singh Friday sought close coordination among the chief secretaries and police chiefs of Maoist-affected states to root out left wing extremism.

"The home minister sought the cooperation of the DGPs (directors-general of police) and chief secretaries to root out left wing extremism," ministry spokesman Kuldeep Singh Dhatwalia told IANS.

He added that a strategy is being worked out to tackle the problem of Maoism.

"The home ministry is looking at ways to ensure there is an effective strategy to deal with the naxal (Maoist) threat," Dhatwalia added.

Asked if any negotiation with Maoists was part of the home ministry's strategy, Dhatwalia said he could not comment on that.

Chief secretaries and DGPs of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and chiefs of paramilitary forces like the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Border Security Force and top ministry officials attended the meeting chaired by Singh Friday.