State police not keen on fighting Naxals: Home secy

Home secretary RK Singh has told a Parliamentary panel that the “lack of commitment” on part of some Naxal-affected states was a key problem in acting against the rebels.

Home secretary RK Singh has told a Parliamentary panel that the “lack of commitment” on part of some Naxal-affected states was a key problem in acting against the rebels.

HT Image

Singh did not take any names at the meeting of the House panel. Home minister P Chidambaram when asked about Singh's remarks; said he wasn't aware of what Singh had told the panel.

But Singh did not make any secret of his assessment.

The home secretary emphasised that the central forces could not operate on its own but only assist the state police, who were “supposed” to have the “local knowledge and local intelligence” and sources in the rural areas.

“Unfortunately, what we find is that in some states… this is not happening. The local police, the state police is not taking the initiative,” Singh told the panel on 4 April, around the same time that Odisha was deciding on the number of Naxals to be released.

"I am being plane and simple, this is happening because of lack of commitment," he added.

Government officials indicated Odisha - that came down on its knees to secure the release of the two Italian nationals and legislator Jhina Hikaka - and to a lesser extent, Jharkhand, could have back of the home secretary's mind.

The contrast in the way Chhattisgarh and Odisha handled the hostage crisis came out sharper on Monday when Chhattisgarh government managed to negotiate an assurance for release of Sukma collector Alex Paul Menon without releasing any naxals.