Naxals getting international support: Netam

Raipur, June 21 : Naxals, who have slain 438 tribals and police personnel in Bastar region thus far, are receiving international support, Chhattisgarh Home Minister Ram Vichar Netam today claimed.

Talking to media here this morning, Mr Netam alleged the rebels were getting Maoist support from Nepal besides Pakistan and China.

''Weapons recovered from arrested naxals have established that they are receiving support from across the northern and western borders,'' the minister, who was accompanied by Additional Chief Secretary B K S Ray and Director-General of Police O P Rathore, said.

To a question, Mr Netam admitted that Maoists have been crossing the border and imparting training to naxals in carrying out ''anti-national'' activities and killing tribals. He parried a query on whether Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence was colluding with the ultras.

The minister also refused to comment on the Chhattisgarh government appointing former Punjab DGP K P S Gill as security advisor in rooting out naxalism from the state.

Stating that extremism has become a national isssue and not just related to Chhattigarh, Mr Netam said an integrated effort from the Centre was essential to crush the menace.

Even though the Centre has provided Nagaland Police and CRPF personnel, the minister lamented that there was no concrete action from the Centre.

Mr Netam criticised those opposing 'Salwa Judum', a peoples' anti-naxal movement to generate awareness in 644 villages of Bastar division.

''Those unaware of ground realities can make any comment,'' he observed.

Since 'Salwa Judum' was launched by the Raman Singh government a year back, 31 police personnel were murdered by insurgents until May 31 while over 300 tribals lost their lives in the past three years.

The state government is ''committed'' to fight the naxals and initiated measures to provide better facilities and machinery to police personnel.

UNI