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Home ministry meet to seek change in anti-Maoist strategy
A day after Leftwing rebels massacred 35 people in Chhattisgarh, India's top security officials, including Home Secretary GK Pillai, will meet in New Delhi on Tuesday evening seeking a change in the anti-Maoist strategy, an official said.
A day after Leftwing rebels massacred 35 people in Chhattisgarh, India's top security officials, including Home Secretary GK Pillai, will meet in New Delhi on Tuesday evening seeking a change in the anti-Maoist strategy, an official said.
The second deadliest Maoist attack in about 40 days has alarmed the security establishment and there are suggestions that the offensive against the Maoist insurgents be more pro-active, the official said.
Hours after Monday's attack, Home Minister P Chidambaram said the government would have to "revisit" its anti-Maoist strategy and that he would try to convince the cabinet on the need for air support to back police action on the ground.
"The security forces want it (air support). The chief ministers of West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, have all asked for air support," Chidambaram told NDTV.
The suggestion to use air strikes against Maoists has been contentious with vehement opposition from within the government as well as from civil society groups.
