PM asks states to set up force to combat extremism

NEW DELHI: Admitting that naxal groups have succeeded in enlarging their base, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday asked the states to establish specialised and dedicated forces needed to cripple the 'virus'.

"Although the notions of a red corridor from Nepal to Andhra Pradesh are exaggerated, we have to admit that they have achieved some degree of success in enlarging their areas of militancy," Singh said while addressing the Chief Ministers conference on internal security.

Making a special mention of the recent jail break incident at Dantewada district of Chattisgarh, the Prime Minister said this was not an isolated incident. "Not a day passes without an incident of Left-wing extremism taking place somewhere or the other," he said.

Observing that over the last years, the activities of naxal groups have revealed new aspects, targeting vital economic establishments and eliminating important political leaders, Singh said, "We cannot rest in peace till we have eliminated this virus."

"We need to cripple Naxalite forces with all the means at our command," he said and asked the states to set up specialised and dedicated forces to combat extremism.

The conference, which was barred for media coverage, is being organised by the Home Ministry and is also being attended by Chief Secretaries, Directors General of Police, chiefs of para-military forces and intelligence agencies.

Stressing on improved policing capabilities and better training facilities, the Prime Minister said, "I hear that there were only three staff in the Dantewada jail where the jailbreak took place."

"Inadequate, ill-equipped, ill-trained, poorly-motivated personnel cannot take on the naxal extremists who are increasingly better equipped and organized," he said.

The Prime Minister assured full cooperation from the Union Home Ministry in setting up the dedicated forces for countering naxalism. "The states also need to consider joint operations and joint mechanism for effective police operations," he said.

Suggesting blocking of infrastructural support to the naxal groups and weaning away of youth from their ideologies, Singh said, "We also need to ensure that essential economic infrastructure is protected and the tempo of development activities is increased".

While the Left-wing extremism might be restricted to some regions, Singh said terrorism was becoming a larger problem, affecting all states equally.

"In the current year, we have had high profile terror attacks in Hyderabad, Rajasthan, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh," he said.

The intelligence agencies have warned further intensification of attacks by terror groups. Terrorists are able to use a wider range of materials and also able to organize coordinated strikes, he said.

"They are able to network across states and even international boundaries, while the actual perpetrators of terrorist violence may belong to a few known organizations, we need to guard against their attempts to recruit local sympathy and support," Singh said.