M A I N   N E W S

Army, Home Ministry differ on anti-Naxal strategy
Ajay Banerjee
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 10
With the Army not agreeing to the Home Ministry’s demand to be immediately inducted into Naxal areas, the Cabinet Committee of Security (CCS) that met late in the evening could not take a decision on deploying the Armed Forces to tackle the Naxal menace.

Disagreement on the mode, style and pace of sending in the Army was the key issue which prevented a decision today, sources said, adding that a political consensus was elusive. Probably more round of talks are needed before the final action plan is ready and the role of the Army, if any, is defined.

Sending in the Army is the last resort in the fight against Naxals, said a top source. The fallout of sending in the soldiers to replace or augment paramilitary forces is immense. In the past four decades, where-ever the Army has been sent out to tackle militancy, its withdrawn has snowballed into a political issue. This is true for Jammu and Kashmir and the North-East.

The Army had made it clear that its engineering teams cannot be sent on a standalone basis to clear out mines or roads under control of the Naxals. These teams have to backed with the first step of having a local intelligence gathering set up followed by Infantry Battalions that form the backbone of the Army fighting units. There will be no knee-jerk reactions, said an official. “This is not about deploying quickly. There has to be plan and that needs time,” he added.

The Defence Ministry conveyed the sentiments and opinion of the Forces at the CCS conducted at the PM’s residence. The demand for use of Special Forces of the Army in Naxal operations was too far fetched, said a senior Army officer. The Army has always worked on the basis of holding ground, Special Forces or the “paras” cannot be sent in suddenly. The infantry has to first hold ground and free it of the Naxals, the “paras” go for targeted operations and cannot be asked to hold ground.

The Home Ministry wants a Unified Area Command where a Major General, will be zan adviser in each of the states. The ministry has also reportedly demanded deployment of Rashtriya Rifles in Naxal-hit areas, however, the Defence Ministry expressed its inability to free troops from Jammu and Kashmir where in filtration was growing.

The Home Ministry has also asked for MI-17 choppers from the IAF that was also discussed. The IAF already has deployed some four choppers for rescue and evacuation.

Meanwhile, sources said after the CCS meeting was over, the Prime Minister discussed the matters separately with Pranab Mukerjee and AK Antony.

The Army will continue to train police organisations to tackle Maoists. The demand of sending in the Army has reached a pitch after Naxals allegedly derailed a passenger train this month, killing at least 145 persons.