Security operation against Naxals in Lalgarh nearing completion: Govt.

New Delhi, July 1 (ANI): The Government on Wednesday said that the ongoing security operation against the Naxals in Lalgarh region of West Bengal was nearing completion while asking the State administration to motivate return of those people who have fled the place.

"The operation is not yet complete. It, perhaps, is nearing completion," said Union Home Minister P Chidambaram while adding that the objective of the operation was to recover territory dominated by the CPI(Maoists) and restore the rule of the civil administration, which had lost control.

"In the bargain, if some residents of the villages have left their homes, taken shelter in jungles or whatever, I think it is the duty of the civil administration to encourage them to come back to their homes and come back to their villages," Chidambaram said.

On being asked about the probability of declaring the CPI (Maoist) as an outlawed organisation by the West Bengal Government, Chidambaram said the outfit had always been a terrorist organisation-in its previous avatar as well in its present avatar-and therefore the Centre had included it in the schedule of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.

Chidambaram said: "We have suggested to the Chief Minister (Buddhadeb) that the state government should declare it as an unlawful association under the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1908 (CLAA). That is where the matter stands."

"The grounds on which an association can be declared as an unlawful association under the UAPA, the ground on which an association can be declared as an unlawful association under the CLAA are very different. There are significant differences between the provisions of the UAPA and CLAA. We think, therefore, we have suggested that the state government should name the CPI(Maoist) as an unlawful association under the CLAA 1908," the Union Home Minister added. (ANI)