Naxalism continues to threaten internal security, says Chidambaram

New Delhi, Feb 1 (ANI): Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Tuesday informed Chief Ministers of States that left wing extremism continued to be a major challenge to internal security.

Addressing the Chief Ministers on internal security, he said that a stalemate continued with the affected states unable to make significant inroads, nor have CPI Maoists gained upper hand and there were casualties on both sides in 2010.

Chidambaram said: "Looking back at 2010, my assessment is that there is a kind of a stalemate. The State governments concerned cannot claim any major advance, nor should we conclude that the CPI (Maoist) has gained the upper hand. There have been casualties on both sides."

"We have provided extra power to state to fight Naxals," Chidambaram assures after informing that the CPI Maoists have added four companies to people liberation gurreila army.

He further said that the security forces had received some serious setbacks last year including the loss of 75 CRPF personnel in one single ambush undertaken by the Naxals in Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh.

The Minister said the CPI (Maoist) remains a powerful and determined adversary and has added at least four companies to the People's Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA), the armed wing of the Naxals.

"Its goal remains seizure of power through an "armed liberation struggle." In 2010, they killed 718 civilians of which 323 were killed after branding them as 'police informers'. Unlike our security forces, the Naxalite cadres are not constrained by the rule of law or the rules of conflict: in areas they dominate they act as judge, jury and executioner," he added..

What caused more worry was the attitude of the civil society, which has not called for an inquiry into the brutal and unlawful killing of civilians and other acts of depredation committed by the CPI (Maoist). (ANI)