Karnataka will import sophisticated weapons as part of modernisation of the state police force, Home Minister K J George said on Tuesday.
The minister told reporters here: “The Union Home Ministry is yet to take a decision on the proposal submitted by the State to provide modern weapons to its police force. Hence, the State has decided to import sophisticated weapons directly from the suppliers. I will be meeting Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde in this regard. There is no dearth of funds to buy weapons. A list of weapons to be purchased has been prepared in consultation with top brass of the department and we will expedite the process as early as possible.”
A team of experts has approached the Maharashtra police to upgrade old arms, he said adding the Karnataka government will also consult the team to explore possibilities of modernising the old weapons of the police Department.
‘Naxal-hit Tag Just for Funds’
To a question on Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s request to the Centre to declare Karnataka a ‘naxal-hit’ state, George said the CM’s statement does not mean that the naxal activities were beyond control in Karnataka.
The reason for seeking the tag is to get more grants from the Centre to develop naxal-hit districts.
Naxals from other states can come and take shelter in deep jungles of Karnataka during anti-naxal operations in those states.
“Our appeal to naxals to lay down their weapons and join the mainstream still holds. But we cannot suspend our anti-naxal operations. Our constant vigil in five to six states where there are movements of naxals is continuing.
“I am not aware of a report submitted by former additional chief secretary Chiranjeevi Singh, who studied the naxal issue in detail,” he said.
George said since naxals attract youth, the State government has decided to give preference to tribal youths during police recruitment. However, there would be no fixed quota for them.
Tata company has come forward to impart vocational training to tribal youths and absorb them in their companies.
This would go long way in fulfilling one of the main demands of people living on the fringes of forests for long years.
The home minister said 13 anti-naxal camps were working day and night keeping a tab on naxals’ movement.
Recently, the State government has released Rs 9 crore for the modernisation of Anti-naxal Force (ANF) in Karnataka.