Don't create fear psychosis on Naxalites, Patil tells Opp

New Delhi, May 22 (UNI) Union Home Minister Shiv Raj Patil today urged the Opposition parties in the Lok Sabha not to create a fear psychosis by exaggerating the magnitude of the Naxalite menace, and clarified that the Government had no intention to downplay the problem, which had affected 55 districts of the country.

''It is being wrongly propagated that as many as 177 districts in 13 States, almost one third of the country, is in the grip of the Naxalite problem while the fact is that only 500 out of the total 12,000 police stations in 55 districts are affected,'' Mr Patil said replying to clarifications sought on a calling attention motion on Naxalite and Maoist activities.

Mr Patil said it was essential to have a realistic picture of the magnitude of the problem in mind or else it would lead to wrong results.

This remark by Mr Patil provoked sharp reaction from the Opposition members who said the Minister was ignoring the reality in spite of incidents of jaibreak by Naxalites and prisoners freely moving on the roads having taken place earlier. Mr Patil flared up and stoutly protested the remark made by Mr V K Malhotra terming it unnecessary interruption asserting that he would not yield. Mr Patil maintained that stray incidents involving Naxalites in a village of any district were sought to be blown up as the whole district or a State affected by it.

Mr Patil said the Government was alive to the fact that the Naxalites were getting supply of sophisticated arms through the sea route and had made a special scheme for the purpose to guard the sea coast. The Government was providing financial assistance of Rs 500 crore to States like Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Orissa for setting up police stations close to sea coast and giving them training, boats or ship besides arms.

He hoped whatever funds were being provided to these States would be properly utilised.

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