Time to end Maoist menace

Raipur: Maoism has been one of the biggest challenges to democracy, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said and sought cooperation from the people for development and maintenance of law and order to end the menace.

Major offensive against Maoists lined up in Chhattisgarh

Rajnath Singh, at a meeting on Saturday with senior police officials in the presence of Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh, discussed issues related to education, health, infrastructure like roads and bridges, agriculture, employment as well as self-employment in the Maoist-affected areas.

He said the morale of security personnel in Maoist-affected areas was very high. The Union Home Minister offered table for truce talks with the Maoists but warned at the same time that the rebels had to finally shun the gun.

“I have said that the Maoists have to leave violence and if they fail to abide, they (rebels) will be forced to shun the gun,” Singh said. "There is no place of violence in the democracy," he added.

The meeting was attended by top brass of the para-military and state forces engaged in the anti-Naxal operation in Chhattisgarh besides the top officials of the state government.

Unconfirmed reports said that strategy had been drawn for a major offensive against the Maoists during this summer itself. “The Centre is committed to provide all possible assistance to the states dealing with the Maoist problem,” he said, adding that the morale of the security forces combating the rebels was high and the jawans were performing their duty with honesty.

The expansion of mobile towers in the Maoist-infested pockets was discussed during the meeting. The officials informed that 73 towers had been installed in Bastar and work was in progress for the others.

The state government had planned to erect about 150 towers in Bastar region, the centre of Maoist extremism in the country. Singh said his ministry would send a proposal to the telecommunication department to extend the frequency for installing more towers.