The Government today dismissed as baseless reports that Taliban militants are being pushed into Jammu and Kashmir to foment terror. Reacting to media reports in this regard, the Home Minister, Mr. P. Chidambaram said in Mumbai that security forces are ready to deal with any situation. He said, the Jammu and Kashmir Police have been doing a good job and the forces are now being readying to take the frontline job of tackling the militants.A day after the beheading of a Jharkhand police officer, the Home Minister P Chidambaram today asserted that the security forces will continue to engage the Maoists till they give up violence. The Home Minister said the Indian Air Force will take adequate counter-measures to protect its choppers and pilots from Naxal attacks. Speaking at a press conference in Mumbai today, the Home Minister said that as long as the CPI(Maoists) believe in an armed liberation struggle, the government has no option but to ask the security forces to apprehend and arrest them. Mr. Chidambaram said that the government does not consider the Naxalite confrontation as a war and wants naxalites to take the path of democracy and dialogue. He said, no government can accept the theory of an armed liberation struggle.The Home Minister said the Centre will help the state governments to discuss with the CPI (Maoists) all issues concerned including developmental matters like neglect, deprivation, corruption and government structure. In reply to a question, he said that there is no evidence to indicate that Naxals in India are being funded by any foreign country. Earlier, Mr. Chidambaram slammed the Maharashtra Nav Nirman sena for its anti-migrant politics, saying the outsider campaign will be rejected by the people. Appealing to the people of Maharashtra to vote for Congress-NCP Alliance, Mr. Chidambaram claimed that the new government will provide a safer and most secure Maharashtra. He said, it was because of the high growth of Maharashtra that India achieved a growth rate of nine per cent and promised all help to the state to maintain its high growth path.
News On AIR | October 7, 2009 8:37 PM
Chidambaram downplays reports of Taliban pushed into J & K