In a move aimed at expanding political support for the government’s anti-Naxal strategy, Home Minister P. Chidambaram has convened a meeting of MPs representing the 34 worst affected Naxal districts.
This is the first time that the government has recognised the political representatives of Naxal-affected districts as stakeholders, who could play a role in the government’s strategy.
A home ministry official said the meeting has been tentatively fixed for April 30.
The decision to treat the MPs as stakeholders comes days after Chidambaram told MPs about the inability of the states to utilise additional funds earmarked for districts that have lagged behind.
The Centre monitors the expenditure at different levels, from the Planning Commission secretary Sudha Pillai to the special task force headed by Cabinet Secretary K.M. Chandrasekhar.
The 34 districts include 10 in Jharkhand and seven including Dantewada in Chhattisgarh.
Govindacharya speaks
Taking a position diametrically opposite to that of his former party BJP, K.N. Govindacharya said on Thursday that anti-poor policies of the state were responsible for the Naxal problem.
“Naxalism is not a problem in itself but is a reaction to an insensitive and non-performing state,” he said. “Important persons seated in power like the Chhattisgarh chief minister, Home minister P. Chidambaram and Prime minister Manmohan Singh are culprits responsible for the killings of nearly 76 CRPF men in Dantewada region. This act of ambush is no terrorism. It’s to be understood that nearly 1,000 locals implemented the ambush of which most of them were poor citizens of the locality.”
{{/usCountry}}“Naxalism is not a problem in itself but is a reaction to an insensitive and non-performing state,” he said. “Important persons seated in power like the Chhattisgarh chief minister, Home minister P. Chidambaram and Prime minister Manmohan Singh are culprits responsible for the killings of nearly 76 CRPF men in Dantewada region. This act of ambush is no terrorism. It’s to be understood that nearly 1,000 locals implemented the ambush of which most of them were poor citizens of the locality.”
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