[Naxalite Maoist India] Chidambaram changes his plans : now wants immediate Army Deployment

Chidambaram floats new plans to fight 'losing battle' against Maoists

India is fighting a losing battle against Naxalism, urgent measures are required to turn the tide, and the attitude of some state chief ministers is not helpful in anti-Maoist operations.

This emerged from a closed-door meeting chaired by Home Minister P. Chidambaram and attended by senior officials of the ministry, the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and heads of central paramilitary forces. Home secretary R.K. Singh was also present at meeting, held in the minister's conference room last week.

Chidambaram was candid in his assessment that states like Orissa, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand were not cooperating in the fight against Naxalism and their chief ministers were not helpful. Even Bihar CM Nitish Kumar had his political compulsions in not taking on the Naxals, the home minister said, expressing his frustration at not being able to get his forces to carry on the anti-Naxal operations effectively.

Ministry sources said that with rising casualties among security forces, fewer men were being deployed for the anti-Maoist operations.

The minister was keen on the idea of bringing in the army in the Naxal-affected areas. He felt that patrolling duties and securing vital installations could be handed over to the army while the paramilitary forces and state police could carry on the operations. While the officials have been told to prepare a note for the cabinet committee on security, it is unlikely that Chidambaram's proposal will get support from Defence Minister A.K. Antony.

Those who were privy to the deliberations said among the suggestions were having a director general (law and order) posted by the MHA to the states for such operations since many state DGPs have cited reservations on certain operations against the Naxals if they are not cleared by the CM.

The idea may stem from having a senior official on the ground to supervise anti-Naxal operations.

But given the resistance from the states to his proposal of a National Counter Terrorism Centre, it is unlikely that Chidambaram's new ideas will find favour from regional satraps in the states.

Source : 

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/chidambaram-anti-maoist-operations-naxalism/1/189751.html

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Posted By Abhay to Naxalite Maoist India at 5/22/2012 11:43:00 AM