Pro-Maoist groups protest police action

Kolkata, Apr 24 (ANI): Several pro-Maoists students and youth organisations protested in Kolkata on Friday evening against police action on Maoists groups.

Activists of the All India Students' Association (AISA) and Revolutionary Youth Association (RYA) also burnt effigies of Union Home Minister P Chidambaram and West Bengal Chief Minster Buddhadeb Bhattacherjee.

Both AISA and RYA are the student and the youth wings of the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) respectively.

The protestors demanded an immediate halt to the anti Maoists operation.

"The operation "Green Hunt" launched by United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government is against Indian people and democracy. If you see it is an Indian extension of the United States' anti-terror operation," said Malay Tiwary, the secretary of West Bengal state unit of AISA.

On Friday, Chidambaram said the government would continue to follow a two-pronged approach on Naxal problem.

"Government will continue to follow its two-pronged approach of development and calibrated police action to deal with the Naxal problem," Chidambaram said.

He said the debate on what should take place first- development or police action- is misplaced.

"The decision will vary from situation to situation and from State to State and no fixed prescription is possible. In some areas, it may be possible to undertake some developmental activities, to be followed immediately by steps to strengthen security and in other areas, it may be necessary to first launch police action to regain control of the territory, followed by vigorous developmental activities," Chidambaram said. (ANI)