NEW DELHI, 1 April 2006 — Top Home Ministry officials yesterday discussed with state officials how to tackle increasing Maoist violence. Home Secretary V.K. Duggal, who called the meeting of officials from the affected states, laid stress on coordination between the police and paramilitary forces.
In a status paper prepared by the Home Ministry, the government ruled out any dialogue with the militant groups until they gave up violence. This year, 235 people have been killed in Maoist violence — 103 civilians, 80 alleged rebels and 52 troopers. The maximum number of deaths were reported from Chhattisgarh (124 people), followed by Jharkhand (32), Bihar (21) and Andhra Pradesh (21). Two Bharatiya Janata Party leaders fell victim to Maoist violence in separate incidents earlier this week in Chhattisgarh.
In view of Maoists targeting railway property, the government has prepared a “foolproof plan” to tackle this. Earlier this week, Duggal said: “The (interior) ministry had specific intelligence that Naxal (Maoist) groups were planning fresh attacks on railway property but we have worked out an elaborate foolproof plan in coordination with the Railway Ministry and states to avoid any further strikes.”
The ministry will provide special training to Railway Protection Force personnel in anti-Maoist operations. The training will be provided at various centers by paramilitary forces and the army.
The government has also directed the states affected by Maoist violence to undertake large-scale awareness campaigns, highlighting extremist atrocities. “The states needn’t bother about cutting corners to fund the drive. The Union Home Ministry will underwrite the expenses under its security related expenditure scheme,” a government official said.
