Against the backdrop of the recent spate of Naxal attacks against politicians and security forces, as many as nine Maoist- affected states on Wednesday agreed to adopt a uniform approach to tackle the Naxal menace.
At a special two-hour session, which was held on the sidelines of Chief Ministers meet on internal security on Wednesday, the states also decided to launch joint inter-state operations to wipe out ultras. The meeting was presided over by Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde.
While the states were opposed to roping in Army and Air Force in security operations against the Maoists, they pressed for continuing joint operation by Central armed forces and state police in its present form. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had earlier stated that any decision in this regard would only be taken, with the consensus of the states.
The states also agreed to check the finances of Maoists. In the first place, they have decided to do away with the private contractor system for collecting tendu leaf and employ government agencies concerned to do the job, to check the extortion money by Naxals from private contractors.
The states, among other things, decided to replicate ‘Andhra Model’ in fighting the Left wing extremism and raising special forces on the lines of ‘Greyhounds’. They have also agreed to recruit retired Greyhounds personnel to train the anti-Naxal units in the states. Andhra Pradesh has been tackling armed underground Naxals through intelligence-based operations. The state has a specialised exclusive intelligence wing for collecting intelligence against Naxals at the state level -- SIB -- and district level -- Naxal Information Bureau.
The Maoist-affected states have also agreed to raise special intelligence gathering apparatus to assist security operations.