PATNA: Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Friday appreciated the Jharkhand government’s resolve to end the Maoist crisis faced by the state and assured that the Centre would provide all necessary assistance to the state to eradicate the threat of left-wing terrorism.
During a daylong visit to the state, Singh reviewed the achievements of security forces and intelligence agencies in anti-Maoist operations. Accompanied by Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das and senior administration and security officials, Singh also took stock of the development work undertaken in Maoist-affected districts.
“The successes achieved under the leadership of Raghubar Das in curbing leftwing extremism in Jharkhand are praiseworthy. I realised in today’s meeting that the chief minister and all officers have resolved to end this threat. I am sure they will attain their goal,” said Singh to reporters after the review meeting.
The home minister stressed that the NDA governments at the Centre and in Jharkhand do not want to end the Maoist crisis through violence. “But the security forces have to take action to defend themselves when they are attacked… Ending the Maoist crisis remains a top priority of our governments,” he said.
Describing the Maoists as anti-poor, Singh said Maoist leaders are claiming to be waging violence on behalf of the poor, but they themselves have been found becoming crorepatis and sending their children to study in top schools and colleges in the country and abroad.
“The people in Maoist-hit areas are realising this truth and cooperating the government agencies increasingly. I appeal to the Naxals once again to drop weapons, talk to the government and become a part of the mainstream society,” said Singh.
Three districts in Jharkhand – Dumka, East Singhbhum and Ramgarh – were taken off the list of Maoist-affected districts last month, but 13 districts still remain in the list of the country’s 30 worst Maoist-affected districts.
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‘Centre yet to get J&K’s ceasefire plea’
Union home minister Rajnath Singh said on Friday that the Centre is yet to receive any formal request from the Jammu and Kashmir government to declare a unilateral ceasefire in the state during Ramzan. “If anything comes, we will see,” he said in reply to reporters’ questions during his visit to Ranchi, declining to elaborate. The Centre will put in place elaborate security arrangements for the annual Amarnath Yatra, added Singh.