Dev & law maintenance needed to fight naxals: PM

Pittsburgh, Sep 26: In his last address in the G-20 summit, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said both development and maintenance of law and order would be required to fight the Naxal menace in several parts of the country.

"While a minimum enforcement of law and order is an essential pre-requisite, there should also be efforts for developing tribal and other under-developed areas," said he.

This statement seemed to follow Home Minister P Chidambaram's recent declaration that the Army would not fight the Naxals.

Chidambaram on a visit to Maoist-infested Chattisgarh and Jharkand in central India on Friday, Sep 25, termed the Naxals as a threat to India.

"Left-wing extremism is the gravest challenge to our way of life, our republic and our democracy," he said.

OneIndia News