The NDA Government is not ready to hold talks with the Maoists unless they shun violence. Unveiling the new Government’s approach towards the Maoists menace, Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday asked the State to adopt a policy of zero tolerance towards the ultras and directed the security forces to retaliate strongly if they were attacked.
“There is no question of any talks now. We will take a balanced approach. But the forces will give a befitting reply if the Naxals launch attacks,” Singh said in a meeting of the Chief Secretaries and Director General of Police of 10 left Wing Extremism effected states, Director Generals of the Central Armed Forces — CRPF and BSF — and top brass of Home Ministry. The Home Minister categorically said that he wants time bound action from states in clearing Naxal menace but by adopted a balanced approach. The Minister also said the security operations should go hand-in-hand with development work in Maoists-affected areas.
Roads, mobile towers, new battalions, modern weapons, additional helicopters, more allowances for jawans and attractive rehabilitation scheme for surrendering Maoists were some of the issues that the Government has on its priority list and States were asked to act accordingly.
During the meeting, performance of States in counter insurgency measures was discussed. States like Jharkhand and Bihar were asked to step up fight against Naxals since their success rate was poor compared to other states. There are 88 Naxal-hit districts spread over 10 States — Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Bihar.
A four-pronged approach was planned focusing on security, development, promoting government’s welfare schemes and working on perception management. The Home Minister urged the States to improve road and telecom connectivity in the Naxal effected areas on a priority basis. A total of 2,199 mobile towers will be set up in the next few months for which States have been asked to prioritise the areas where they want these towers to come up. Efforts will also be made to repair old mobile towers and put them into use.
The MHA was of the opinion that road networks besides helping movement of security forces will also ensure taking development work to remote areas. The Home Minister asked states to appoint young, bold and courageous district magistrates and superintendents of police in Naxal-hit districts in the initial years of their postings to provide better administration and leadership.
The Centre will send 10 additional CAF battalions to these states to cover gaps in the Observer Posts (OPs). The government wants additional units to be put between the OPs with 12,000 more personnel in these battalions. The Home Ministry will fund formation of more special forces on the lines of the RsGreyhounds’ of Andhra Pradesh. To begin with such squads will come up in Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Jharkhand and Bihar. The Government told the States that funds will not come in the way while asking States to equip its forces with modernise weaponry and surveillance gadgets. The States were asked to adopt a uniform and concerted approach for which nodal officers should be appointed for better co-ordination with States and Centre.
In a bid to encourage Maoists cadres to surrender, the MHA wants increasing of rewards and improving rehabilitation for surrendered ultras to attract them to lay weapons. In fact, Rajnath Singh also sought to enhance allowances for central security forces deployed in lWE areas to bring them at par with those deployed in the counter-militancy areas in Jammu and Kashmir. At present, a jawan working in the anti-Naxal operations earns Rs4,000 less than his colleague deployed in J&K. Singh said he will also ask Finance Ministry to double funds under Security Related Expenditure (SRE) scheme from the next financial year.
During the meeting Chhattisgarh sought more helicopters for aiding security forces on ground while new state Telangana sought 12 battalions for its four Maoists effected districts — Adilabab, Karimnagar, Warangal and Khammam.