Central paramilitary forces and West Bengal police would continue their joint anti-Maoist operations in West Bengal, with the Centre deciding that 17 companies of its forces would remain positioned in the state.
Central paramilitary forces and West Bengal police would continue their joint anti-Maoist operations in West Bengal, with the Centre deciding that 17 companies of its forces would remain positioned in the state.
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The decision came after West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today and Home Minister P Chidambaram and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee here yesterday.
At these meetings, Bhattacharjee strongly recommended continuance of the joint operations in his state along with simultaneous action in Jharkhand, saying the West Bengal police would not be able to consolidate the gains made against Maoists in areas like West Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura.
"Without simultaneous operations in Jharkhand, it will be difficult for the (Bengal) police to hold on to the gains," the Chief Minister told a press conference here. He said the security forces would start operations in other parts of the state, especially those bordering Jharkhand, where most of the Maoist infrastructure, training camps and strongholds are located.
Bhattacharjee's meeting came days after the Prime Minister said talks could be held with the Left extremists if they lay down arms. "This has been my consistent position too from the beginning," the Chief Minister said.
The Cabinet Committee on Security on Thursday approved a new plan under which coordinated action would be undertaken to prevent Maoist violence in selected areas and development activities carried out there on a war-footing.
Noting that 12 police stations in West Bengal were affected by Maoist violence, Bhattacharjee said the extremists were attacking and killing innocent people, police personnel and government servants "creating serious problems".
Through the joint operations "we have achieved some gains in the last few months...We are now dominating the areas of West Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura.
By dominating, we mean that the police is functioning normally, the administration is functioning almost as usual. But there are sporadic incidents," the Chief Minister said.
On the Maoist offer for talks, he said the Centre has already issued an appeal for talks with the CPI(Maoist) provided they lay down arms.
To a question that the CPI(M) had earlier come to power after a long battle with Naxalites, Bhattacharjee said "at that time it was different.
We fought them politically and ideologically. Now it is a new phenomenon. We can't be blamed for the havoc created by the Maoists in Chhattisgarh."
The Maoists now were "a group of misguided people trying to use poverty (to expand their base). There is no ideology and practically no programme", he said.
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