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UPA feels Red outreach initiatives haven't paid off
-The Times of India


NEW DELHI: Concern over the anti-Naxal policies not yielding desired results despite massive fund allocations and ambitious development schemes found voice at the meeting of the UPA coordination committee meeting on Monday.

The discussion, held in the wake of a massacre of Congress leaders in Chhattisgarh on May 25, saw leaders pondering whether the government is getting it right in terms of its policy efforts and needs to do more to address tribal alienation.

Congress chief Sonia Gandhi agreed efforts should be made to bring disadvantaged sections living in the Naxal-affected areas within the national mainstream. She is understood to have been in sync with the view that initiatives had not quite paid off.

Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar is understood to have spoken at length, making the point that the approach to dealing with naxalism needs to be improved. He said the continued disengagement of people in "Red zones" with the state is worrying and cannot be wished away.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh did not say much during the discussion. He has in the past described Maoists as a primary security challenge.

The meeting felt that an all-party meeting on Naxalism should be called. "Serious concern was expressed over the attack on Congress leaders," parliamentary affairs minister Kamal Nath told the media after the meeting.

The views expressed at the coordination committee are significant as the incident that has claimed 30 lives saw some Congress leaders calling for concerted action against the rebels. Rural development minister Jairam Ramesh described Naxals as terrorists - a term that that his colleagues like tribal affairs minister Kishore Chandra Deo did not agree with.

Congress and UPA have not been able to resolve a schism over how to deal with Naxalism, with some leaders emphasing a "softer" approach that lays stress on enhanced development initiatives. There are others who have argued that development cannot be prioritized unless the state is able to regain control over "liberated" zones. It is necessary to convince local population that Naxals were losing the war.

At the meeting on Monday, it was pointed out that the massive infusion of funds for schools, banks and hospitals is not providing desired results. This indicated that there is a skew of miscalculation as the government's efforts are missing the target.

Sources said the continued of sections of local population to the Naxals is worrying and this requires attention on an urgent basis if the war against the ultars is to be won.

Those favouring sustained action against Naxals have argued that lack of resolve or a policy confusion will only encourage the extremists despite a steady attrition in their leadership.