BANGALORE: Expressing concern over the increase in Naxal operations in five districts of Karnataka, Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda demanded that the Centre provide training to the state’s anti-Naxal force by CRPF’s COBRA unit and supply of arms to the unit.
Addressing the CMs’ conference on internal security in Delhi on Monday, Gowda said that though the state had made requests, no help has been forthcoming.
“While hardcore Naxal-affected states were being provided additional funding, Karnataka was not getting any support,” Gowda said.
He said while Naxal-affected states have been allowed to set up critical infrastructure in forests through relaxation of the Forest Conservation Act, Karnataka has not been allowed to do so, despite requests. “I impress upon the Prime Minister to extend such relaxation to Karnataka also,” he said.
On the National Counter Terrorism Centre, Gowda said it has been modelled on an agency in the US but the scheme of things were different in the two countries.
“Police and law and order are state subjects. The Centre’s entry into these areas will erode states’ powers. Past experience seems to indicate occasional misuse of criminal laws by Central police units and paramilitary forces for political gains against Opposition-ruled states. There is no reason to suspect that the proposed arrangement in NCTC will be an exception to it,” he said.