We’ll respond to Naxal attacks: PC

Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Monday said a concerted offensive against Naxalites will be launched soon, reports HT Political Bureau.

Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Monday said a concerted offensive against Naxalites will be launched soon.

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He said the Naxals had taken advantage of the fact that the security forces had been spread through out the country during the polls, adding that the government “will respond” to those attacks.

He said the twin-pronged strategy of combining police action with accelerated development in the naxal-affected districts was history.

“Naxalites are anti-development. We build schools, they demolish it. Telecom operators put up mobile towers, they blast those towers. We build panchayat houses, they blast those houses,” the Harvard-educated lawyer said.

“It is important that police action takes place first… the area is cleared out and be immediately followed by development activities,” the home minister said.