Author: Shishir Gupta & Bhavna
Vji-Aurora
Publication: The Indian Express
Date: November 6, 2004
Reeling under a wave of Naxal attacks,
especially after the Congress government in Andhra Pradesh effected a ceasefire
and called Left wing extremists for talks, worried state police chiefs
have sought clear directions from the Centre on how were they expected
to deal with the problem.
But Union Home Minister Shivraj
Patil, responding to queries from DGPs at a special session on Left wing
extremism, said it was for the states to individually deal with the Naxalite
problem.
The Centre, he maintained, could
not provide any directions in this regard. He cited the example of Kashmir
where security forces were going after militants while the political leadership
was keeping channels open for talks.
Most DGPS, attending the special
session in the Capital, said they did not approve of Andhra's move to open
talks with the People's War Group while the cadres were still armed. Even
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, while addressing the DGPs later, expressed
concern over the rise in Left wing extremism and its spread over 150 districts.
"Large swathes of tribal territory
from Andhra Pradesh in the South to the borders of UP and Bengal in the
North and East have become hunting grounds of Left wing extremists," he
pointed out.
DGPs of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh
and Maharashtra sought details on modalities of the ongoing talks between
Andhra government and the Naxalites. They wanted the Andhra to share details
of the talks with Naxals, who the interlocutors were and the conditions
being laid down.
These questions were raised at the
special session attended by Patil, Special Advisor to PM M K Narayanan,
National Security Advisor J N Dixit, Home Secretary Dhirendra Singh and
Director Intelligence Bureau A K Doval.
Chhattisgarh DGP O P Rathore said
that his state had a clear cut policy: talks with Naxals only after they
lay down arms.
"Actually there is nothing to talk.
These people are ruthless. They are killing poor and innocent people and
indulging in extortion," Rathore told The Indian Express.
He said most states affected by
Left wing extremism had similar views.