Central Govt Plans Intensifying Action Against Naxals, Cut Their Sources Of Funding

Intensification of operations against Naxals along with strangling the flow of funds towards them were the two integral issues discussed during Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s high-level meeting against left-wing extremism with Chief Ministers (CMs) of six different states.

Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik, Telangana CM K Chandrashekhar Rao, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray, Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren and Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan attended the meet chaired by Shah.

Meanwhile, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel and Andhra Pradesh CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy didn’t attend the meeting and instead sent their senior officials as representatives.

Certain measures discussed includes investigation and prosecution of cases, action against frontal organizations, building up capacity of intelligence branches of states, constructing fortified police stations and coordination amongst states.

Similarly, sources told the Economic Times that that stirring up operations against Naxals, directed action by the NIA, the ED and the state police along with filling up the security vacuum were also some issues that were pondered upon.

In fact, an account of the overall requirement of the states along with the total strength of forces stationed to challenge the extremists and overall development works concerned around constructing roads, bridges, health centres and schools in Naxal-hit areas was also taken by Shah.