Zeenews Bureau
New Delhi: Home Secretary GK Pillai on Friday said that the ceasefire announcement by the Naxals was just a ploy to regroup and added that banned ultras are aiming to overthrow the Indian state.
“The banned ultras are trying to build an army as they plan to overthrow the Indian state by 2050,” Pillai said.
The Home Secretary observed that the ceasefire announced by the Naxals was just a ploy to regroup their cadre and feared that Naxal-related violence will go up in the days to come.
Pillai further revealed that Naxals are working in remote areas and strengthening their movement by taking advantages of the “administrative vacuum”
Citing some important documents seized during anti-Naxal operations, the home secretary said, “The banned guerrillas were operating in remote areas - the soft underbelly of the economy - and trying to influence more and more people to join their movement.”
He also did not rule out the possibility of Naxals getting local support, adding that there was credible evidence of local support to the Naxals. He even hinted that there are fears that ex-servicemen were helping the home-grown rebels.
However, he assured that the central forces will soon take control of the Naxal-infested areas.
“We will take back the areas we have lost to the Naxal groups in the days to come, “Pillai said.
Although Pillai hailed the progress made by the security forces so far in tackling the Naxal problem, he admitted that not even 5% of the armed cadres have been hit by the security forces. The Naxals are keeping their armed cadres in reserve for big offensives.”
The crucial statement from the Home secretary comes in the wake of a conditional 72-day ceasefire offer from the Naxals, who had expressed their willingness for talks only if the government halts security operations and releases their arrested leaders.
However, the Union Home Minister P Chidambaram has turned down the conditional ceasefire offer and instead demanded the Naxals to send the truce offer in writing.
Chidambaram later offered to talk with the rebels if they stopped violence for 72 hours.
Responding to it, CPI-M politburo member Koteshwar Rao alias Kishenji then gave his telephone number to the Home Minister and asked him to respond to his offer on or before 5 pm by March 06.
The 72-hour deadline set by the Maoists will end tomorrow.
First Published: Friday, March 05, 2010, 21:37