Chhattisgarh Assy discusses naxal menace in secret sitting

Raipur, July 26 (UNI) The Chhattisgarh Assembly today held a day-long 'in-camera' sitting, the first of its kind in the country's Parliamentary history and discussed the state's spiralling naxal problem.

An Assembly Secretariat spokesperson told UNI that the members discussed at length various aspects, pertaining to the menace and put forth suggestions to arrive at a solution.

Only members were allowed in the House while the galleries for media and officers remained closed. Chief Secretary Shivraj Singh, Principal Secretary (Home) S V Prabhat and DGP Vishwaranjan were allowed to be present. The records of proceedings would be secret.

The sitting, which began at 1100 hrs, was earlier scheduled to conclude at 1500 hrs but was extended as more members were to participate in the discussion that is continuing and expected to conclude only late in the evening.

''This type of discussion has not even taken place in Parliament,'' the spokesperson said while pointing out that rules permitted such in-camera sittings.

The decision to hold the secret discussion on the last day of the ongoing monsoon session was taken, after it was felt that the members avoided to speak openly on such sensitive issues. Even, the government was reluctant to discuss strategies to be adopted to tackle the challenge posed by Maoists who have a presence in about 12 of 18 districts.

For the past two years, rebels active in tribal Bastar region stepped up violence after local tribals launched 'Salwa Judum', an anti-insurgency campaign to drive out the ultras. The extremists retaliated by unleashing terror, killing nearly 500 people including security personnel.

UNI