Implement plan to tackle Naxal menace: BJP tells Centre

BJP today welcomed the unconditional release of three abducted Bihar policemen and asked the Centre to implement the integrated plan to tackle the Naxal menace.

BJP on Monday welcomed the unconditional release of three abducted Bihar policemen and asked the Centre to implement the integrated plan to tackle the Naxal menace.

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"We welcome the unconditional release of the three Bihar police personnel by Naxalites. The NDA government in Bihar led by Nitish Kumar handled the situation with a strong resolve and took various political parties into confidence," BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar told reporters here.

He said with Naxals increasing their "area of influence," the UPA government at the Centre should end its "inner contradictions" on dealing with the menace and move ahead to implement the integrated plan to tackle the problem.

Javadekar was apparently referring to difference of opinion between Home Minister P Chidambaram and a section of the Congress leadership on steps required to check the problem.

He did not share the view that a delay by Bihar government led to the death of a police official held hostage by the Naxals.

"We pay homage to the police personnel killed...but release of three other officials is a success for the state government," he said.

Earlier today, Maoists had released the three abducted Bihar policemen in Lakhisarai district, bringing an end to the nine-day-old hostage crisis.