No consensus on anti-Naxal strategy

Home, defence ministries differ on using Army, chain of command

Informed sources said there was division of views between the Defence Ministry and the Home Ministry on deploying armed forces to fight the naxals. While Home Ministry wanted the army to be used, the Defence Ministry was against it.

At the end of an hour-long meeting, Home Secretary G K Pillai said one more round of discussion would be held as no decision was arrived at during Thursday’s meeting.
According to the Defence Ministry, the army and the air force were not keen on being called in to tackle the Naxals and submitted a document combining input from the two wings of the defence forces.

The ministry is reported to have told the meeting that the Indian Air Force has made it clear that it was not in a position to spare anymore helicopters for anti-Naxal operations but is willing to release some of its unmanned aerial vehicles. The army is of the view that it cannot disturb regular troops from Kashmir and the Northeast.

Army training aid
Moreover, the army is not willing to use regular troops for de-mining operations in Naxal strongholds. The army though says it is willing to help train new Rastriya Rifle battalions specifically for combating Naxals.

If indeed the government takes a decision on deploying armed forces in anti-Naxal operations, the Ministries of Defence and Home may demand the post of the head of the unified command of anti-Naxal operations. While the Home Ministry wants the chief secretary in command, the Defence Ministry says it must be the chief minister of the state where the operations take place.