Describing the killing of 25 CRPF men by Naxals in Chhattisgarh “a cold-blooded murder” and “an act of cowardice and desperation”, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said the Government will review the strategy to root out left Wing Extremism (lWE) and if necessary the Government will revisit it.
Speaking to reporters after paying homage to the CRPF personnel killed in Monday’s ambush in Sukma district, the Home Minister said, “I have convened a meeting of States affected by Maoism on May 8. We will review the strategy and if necessary we will revisit it.”
He asserted that the Centre and the States would work together to take on Naxals, who have access to rocket launchers, mortars and AK-47s.
“We have accepted it as a challenge,” he said.
Rajnath directed acting chief of the CRPF and a top officer of the Home Ministry to stay put in Chhattisgarh to ensure coordinated “targeted” operations against Naxals.
Saying lWE groups were anti-development and sought to destabilise development in the State, the Home Minister said, “The sacrifice of our brave jawans will not go in vain. The Naxals are frustrated with the development of roads in Bastar region. But they will not succeed in their evil designs.”
He expressed surprise that Maoists were using tribals as human shields to target security personnel.
Meanwhile, a senior Home Ministry official on Tuesday ruled out deployment of the Army to tackle Naxals, notwithstanding reverses being faced by paramilitary and police forces. “It is an internal security issue. There is no question of deploying the Army in the anti-Naxal operations,” the official said.
Since the Naxal violence is considered as a law and order problem, paramilitary and police forces will continue to deal with Maoists, even though there have been casualties on the part of the security forces, the official said.
The comments of the senior Home Ministry official came in the wake of speculation in a section of the media that the Government was considering the option of deploying the Army.
The Home Minister, who rushed to Raipur on Tuesday morning, first visited the headquarters of the 4th battalion of the Chhattisgarh Armed Force in the Mana camp, where a wreath- laying ceremony was held.
Chhattisgarh Governor Balramji Das Tandon, Chief Minister Raman Singh, Union Minister of State for Home Hansraj Ahir and senior state and paramilitary officials were present on the occasion.
He later attended a meeting with the Chief Minister and senior officers.
Meanwhile, anger boiled in entire Chhattisgarh a day after brutal killings over CRPF jawans as political parties, social organisations and intellectuals called for ‘a decisive war’ against Maoists and suggested the Central Government to finish off Maoists forever as they ‘crossed all limits’. Various social outfits took out a candle-light march in Raipur to express solidarity with the families of martyred jawans.
The nearly 100-strong CRPF patrol providing security for road construction work in Sukma came under fierce gunfire from Maoist guerrillas occupying vantage positions.
The Naxalites mounted the assault on the CRPF men in the Kalapathar area of south Bastar, which has been in the grip of left-wing extremism.