Development to follow anti-Naxal operation: PC

The joint operations against Maoists launched by the Centre and governments of Chhattisgarh, Orissa and Maharashtra would continue to reassert the state’s authority in regions dominated by the rebels, the Centre has said. Ejaz Kaiser reports.

The joint operations against Maoists launched by the Centre and governments of Chhattisgarh, Orissa and Maharashtra would continue to reassert the state’s authority in regions dominated by the rebels, the Centre has said.

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“Our goal is not to kill anyone,” said Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram after chairing a meeting to review the operations here on Friday with chief ministers Raman Singh of Chhattisgarh and Naveen Patnaik of Orissa and deputy chief minister R.R. Patil of Maharastra.

The meeting was also attended by the directors-general of the three states.

“The troops will continue to be engaged to regain control of areas from the CPI(Maoists) and these will immediately be followed by development initiatives,” Chidambaram said.

He said the rebels had always spurned the offer of talks.

“Yesterday they killed two school students who belonged to primitive tribes in Chhattisgarh. What ideology or philosophy are they following through such violence?” he asked.

On Jharkhand chief minister Shibu Soren’s approach towards Maoists, Chidambaram said the Centre would

hold talks with the state government in New Delhi on January 28.