Chidambaram expresses satisfaction over anti-Naxal operations(Lead: Chidambaram)

Raipur, Jan 22 (ANI): Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Friday expressed satisfaction over the success of the ongoing anti-Naxal operations, and added that the Centre is committed to providing troops and technology to State Governments to fight the Maoist menace.

"The coordinated operation is just a few weeks old. The progress is satisfactory, and in future, it will be more satisfactory," Chidambaram said.

In many places the Naxalites are retreating and we welcome it. But in some areas they are engaged in battle," he added.

Addressing media here after holding a meeting with the Chief Ministers of Chhattisgarh and Orissa, and senior officials of Maharashtra Government, Chidambaram said all the affected states had agreed to coordinate actions against Maoists and that the Centre's goal was to reassert its authority in Naxal bastions.

"Our aim is to reassert civil administration to be followed immediately by development in areas dominated by Naxalites for quite some years," Chidambaram said.

"We identified progress we made. We identified steps to be taken. The operations will continue. Our goal is not to kill anyone but to reassert the civil administration to be followed immediately by development in areas dominated by Naxalites for quite some years," he added.

Chidambaram reiterated that Centre would talk to banned organizations only after they shun violence.

"My approach to the CPI-Maoist and other such banned organisations is that you will suspend violence and we will talk," he said.

"But they are killing people. Even yesterday they killed two boys in Chhattisgarh who belonged to primitive tribes as they wanted to get recruited in the army," Chidambaram added. (ANI)