RAIPUR: The 22nd meeting of Central Zonal Council held in Chhattisgarh's capital Raipur on Tuesday didn’t hold any strategic deliberation to counter the persisting left-wing extremism. However, the development in the affected areas including the entire state was taken up.
Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel stated that the 'issues and problems related to Chhattisgarh state differs from those of Uttarakhand or Uttar Pradesh', the other two states that come under Central Zonal Council.
Bhagel put forth a proposal to the Centre to place Chhattisgarh among the adjoining states like Telangana, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh that share 'common challenges.'
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Chhattisgarh government has sought a reorganisation of the Council based on common agenda of problems in geographically adjoining areas.
'I have proposed to reconstitute the Council and put Chhattisgarh among the seven states so that a common problem like Naxalism can be extensively discussed. Naxal was one of the agenda listed for the meeting in Central Zonal Council Meeting but it was not discussed. The development issues in affected areas, however, were taken up', said the Chief Minister.
Bhupesh Bhagel further added that the Narendra Modi-led Centre didn't offer a satisfactory response to the Chhattisgarh's demand on handing over an NIA investigation report which probed the Maoist ambush that eliminated state's top Congress leadership during 'Parivartan Yatra' on May 25, 2013, at Jhiram in Bastar.
Chhattisgarh had earlier written thrice in 2019 to the Centre to hand over the NIA report to the state police.