Chhattisgarh CM calls for policy to curb Maoist atrocities

New Delhi, May 4 (ANI): Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh on Friday called for a national policy to curb kidnappings and violence initiated by the Maoists.

"The surrender policies and the kidnapping incidents which are becoming very common now-a-days is not a problem of one or two states. In tomorrow's meeting with the Prime Minister (Manmohan Singh) and Union Home Minister (P. Chidambaram) we will discuss on this crisis arising out of kidnapping," Singh told media here.

"There is a need for national policy on this. Chief Ministers of all the states should be called for a detailed discussion on this issue," he added.

Singh said that his government would continue with the development projects in Chhattisgarh.

He further said that operations like Green Hunt and 'Salwa Judum' were non-existent in Chhattisgarh.

"Operation green hunt has no existence in the dictionary of our state. 'Salwa Judum', which started as a movement has no existence in Chhattisgarh," he added.

Dismissing reports claiming suspension of operations against Maoists in his state, Singh said that it would be possible after the Maoists agreed to shun violence.

"We are not removing the security force from the state. People travelling at the national highway need security and this was never a topic of understanding. If they had talked about complete ceasefire and no cases of violence, then there would have been talks of suspending all operations," he added.

The chief minister said that a committee was formed under the guidance of former Madhya Pradesh Chief Secretary Nirmala Buch to look into the cases of innocent tribals lodged inside jails as suspects of being members of the Maoists group.

"The Maoists who have been lodged in district jails and if there is a delay in their investigation and prosecution, the committee will give its recommendations to the court on case-by-case basis. As these cases will ultimately go to the court for hearing and the government will have no role in such cases," he said.

Singh further described Sukma District Collector Alex Paul Menon, who was released by the Maoists on Thursday nearly 12 days after his captivity, an honest and hardworking official.

"Alex Menon is a hardworking and honest collector and he was released by the Maoists. We want development to take place in Sukma district as it is newly constituted. If honest officials like him are ready to work in such districts then they should be encouraged. Yesterday, I said to him that he has done a good job in the district and he must continue doing so," he said.

The Maoists had kidnapped Menon after killing two of his bodyguards on April 21, while he was meeting with villagers of Majhipara village in the Keralapal area of the Naxal-infected district. (ANI)