The former Governor of Chhattisgarh, Lt Gen (Retd) K M Seth, called for a national strategy and national level coordinated action plan to successfully deal with Naxalites of the CPI (Maoist). He was making a presentation on Naxalism in India, at the Observer Research Foundation in New Delhi, on April 13, 2007.
The former Governor of Chhattisgarh, Lt Gen (Retd) K M Seth, called for a national strategy and national level coordinated action plan to successfully deal with Naxalites of the CPI (Maoist). He was making a presentation on Naxalism in India, at the Observer Research Foundation in New Delhi, on April 13, 2007.
Lt Gen Seth lauded the commitment of the Chhattisgarh government to defeat the agenda of the Naxalites. General (Retired) VP Malik, former Chief of the Army Staff, presently President, ORF Institute of Security Studies chaired the discussion that was attended among others by former Jharkhand Governor Ved Marwah, former CBI Director KR Karthikeyan, former Chief of R&AW Mr Hormus Tharakan, etc.
Lt Gen Seth suggested the creation of a real-time national database on the Naxalites, their leaders and activities. He also suggested that there should be real-time interaction among those dealing with the Naxalite issue in the various affected States. Besides, he urged the Central government to evince greater will and commitment to deal with the Naxalites.
He also recalled that the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, has more than once stated that the Naxalite issue posed the single larges threat to the country's internal security.
Lt Gen Seth observed that there was no alternative to introducing land reforms and re-distribution, undertaking development activities immediately in all the affected districts, and especially the highly affected districts, modernizing the police forces, and ejecting the Naxalites from Abuz Maarh, which is the core of their bastion.
He also drew the attention of the distinguished audience to the expansion plans of the Naxalites and noted that further delay in delay in rooting out Naxalism in the country does not portend well for the future of the nation.
An inadequately armed and ill-trained police force can not be asked to deal with a lethal outfit like the CPI (Maoist), Gen Malik noted.
Gen Malik also informed the distinguished speaker of the various activities of the ORF and presented him a copy of a few ORF publications.
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