Salwa Judum movement in Bastar can't be suppressed: Raman

New Delhi, May 29 (UNI) Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh has said the tribals in his state cannot be weaned away from their ''Salwa Judum'' movement as they want nothing short of peace and development in their villages.

The regions worst affected by the naxalite menace in the State could be developed much faster than other parts of Chhattisgarh if it is possible to put an end to the wave of killings and planting of landmines by the naxalites, he said.

Describing the anti-naxalite people's movement ''Salwa Judum''(peace mission), originating from tribal Bastar region in Chhattisgarh as ''spontaneous'', the Chief Minister said the movement was born out of frustration among the native tribals, who are peeved at no development taking place in their areas during the last 15 years owing to this problem. On the other hand other parts of Bastar, unaffected by naxalite movement, are witnessing developmental activities.

The tribals are fed up with the violence unleaashed by the naxalites and have come out of their homes to wage a war against these extremists with bows and arrows despite the fact that it was an unequal fight as the ultras possess sophisticated AK-47 rifles, the Chief Minister told reporters here last night.

The tribals now want nothing short of peace and development in their villages, the Chief Minister said, adding ''their determination cannot be broken now and they cannot be weaned away from continuing their 'Salwa Judum' movement as they are confident that they are bound to win.'' Denying that the naxalites enjoyed the local people's support in their armed attacks on the innocent people, Dr Singh said the victims were fleeing their homes and taking shelter in Government camps. As many as 50,000 such displaced persons were taking refuge in such camps where they were being provided food and police protection.

The Chief Minister said the State was going to receive in a day or two three battalions of para military forces from the Centre to combat naxalites while two additional battalions would be despatched there shortly.

The Government, meanwhile, had initiated filling up the posts of 6,000 policemen, which have been lying vacant in naxalite-affected areas.

Asked about the American Embassy offering help to weed-out naxalites in the Bastar region, he said ''this is neither possible nor desirable''.

He said he had already contradicted the reports published in a section of the press. ''It was a subject that fell under the jurisdiction of the Union Government, not a State, to negotiate with a foreign power,'' he said.

UNI YS MSJ DS1535