LOC17:27
14:27 GMT
NEW DELHI, May 27 (KUNA) -- Indian Defence Minister AK Antony Monday ruled
out the possibility of sending Army in Naxal-hit states of the country
following a deadly rebel attack that left 27 people dead and wiped out the top
Congress leadership in the Chattisgarh state two days ago.
"There is no proposal on sending Army to Chhattisgarh. But we'll extend all
support to State and para-military forces," Antony said.
New Delhi has already deployed some 30,000 paramilitary personnel in
Chhattisgarh to help the state government carry out anti-Naxal operations who
have been targeting government soldiers at will. On Monday, 2,000 more troops
were sent following a request from the Chhattisgarh government to engage in
anti-Naxal operations.
The defence minister, who is opposed to army presence in almost nine
Naxal-hit states in India, further said the real answer lies in strengthening
local police and paramilitary forces.
"In fact we have been extending full support to the police on the ground
and the Indian Air Force was operating its choppers during night also in
Naxal-hit areas," he added.
The Naxal rebels have a strong presence in many central states of India,
and have been described by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as the "country's
biggest security threat".
India's Naxals (also known as Maoists) are fighting for the greater rights
of poor farmers and landless workers. They are spread into rural pockets in 20
of India's 28 states but most of their bastions are in nine Indian states.
They have been fighting a brutal guerrilla war against Indian troops since the
late 1960s.
Meanwhile, the Indian Home Ministry has sent an advisory to all Naxal hit
states asking the governments there to consolidate security to political
workers and ensure that their activities are not hampered.
Heavily-armed Naxals had ambushed a convoy of Congress leaders in
Chhattisgarh's Bastar district on Saturday, killing 27 people including
Congress leader Mahendra Karma, ex-MLA Uday Mudliyar, state unit chief Nand
Kumar Patel and his son Dinesh Patel, triggering condemnation from several
parties cutting across all ideologies.
A team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) have also been sent to
probe the possible lapses on the part of the central forces or the state
government that led to the deadly attack.
"We have asked the NIA to investigate the attack. Security lapses could
have taken place. We have to take action," Minister of State for Home Affairs,
RPN Singh told reporters in New Delhi on Monday. (end)
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