The government on Thursday decided to review and revamp the security of politicians of all parties in Naxal-infested states. Union home minister Sushilkumar Shinde, who announced he will visit Raipur on Friday, felt there were security lapses that led to the deadly attack on the Congress “Parivartan Yatra” last Saturday in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district. The anti-Naxal strategy will be reviewed and revamped to plug gaps.
Mr Shinde, who returned home from the United States on Wednesday night, met Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday and apprised her of the steps taken by the government following the brutal attack. While rural development minister Jairam Ramesh had described the Maoists as “terrorists”, the home minister said he “cannot say if the Maoist are terrorists”, but refused to elaborate.
The home minister said the government had specific information that Naxals were now trying to expand their bases in urban centres like Pune and may try to target cities. “We have this information for long. We have information about Pune. This can happen in other places too,” he said, reacting to reports suggesting that major urban centres may witness targeted killings by Maoists in the coming months.
The government has,meanwhile, decided to extend the Integrated Action Plan, a special development project for the 82 worst Naxal-affected districts, for four more years with an annual allocation of `1,000 crores.
Addressing reporters soon after his return from the US, Mr Shinde said a probe by the National Investigation Agency will establish the “truth” behind the Jagdalpur attack that left 29 people dead. Asked why he had not spoken about incident soon after it took place from the US, Mr Shinde said he was in regular touch with MHA officials and did not feel the need to issue any statement from the US. “Those people who are interested only in statements and not action, they can consider it (issuing a statement),” he said.
Facing flak for extending his US visit despite the horrific attack, Mr Shinde clarified he was there to consult an ophthalmologist on May 28. The minister said he had taken permission from the highest authorities to extend his US visit for a week after the India-US homeland security meeting ended on May 22. Mr Shinde stayed in the US from May 23 to 29 for an eye checkup with a specialist. The ophthalmologist had given him a May 28 appointment as he (the doctor) was away in Malaysia till then. He clarified that he left for India on May 29 after the doctor’s appointment was over.
Asked if there was any laxity by the BJP government in Chhattisgarh in providing security for the Congress rally, Mr Shinde said: “The inquiries will bring out the truth. The state government has ordered a judicial inquiry and the NIA team is also in Sukma to probe the lapses. I will also go there and gather more information.” On the demand for President’s Rule in Chhattisgarh, Mr Shinde said it was “quite natural” to raise such demands, but the need did not arise.
Virtually ruling out peace talks with the Maoists, the home minister said: “When there is no offer (from the Maoists), whom will we talk to? With you?” Asked if there were shortcomings in the government’s anti-Naxal strategy, Mr Shinde said the strategy was satisfactory but “sometimes there are lapses, and the strategy has to be reworked accordingly”.
“Sometimes lapses do take place. We have to be more alert. We have to fight back. We have to give more attention to the welfare of tribals,” he said.
Asked why Central security cover was not given to slain Congress leader Mahendra Karma, a Z-plus protectee, Mr Shinde said: “No request had come to us. Whenever a request is made, we look into it seriously.”
The government has decided to give a major push to all
development projects in Naxal-infested areas, including setting up of mobile towers, road construction and other works. Resolving long-standing differences between the Planning Commission and the MHA, the government has decided to extend the Integrated Action Plan for four more years with an annual allocation of `1,000 crores for 82 districts in states like Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. Under the fresh
proposal, which will come up before the Cabinet, each of the 82 IAP districts will get `5 crores a year, and the remaining `590 crores will be shared among them based on criteria like population and area.