Rules on engaging Naxals sought

“We asked for clarifications into rules of engagement to take on the Naxals,” army chief Gen V K Singh said here on Friday.

Making it clear that army would have no direct role in tackling the left wing extremism in states barring military advice and training, he said clarifications are required because a large training facility was coming up in the Naxal heartland of Chhattisgarh.

The army received close to 100 acres of land in the foothills of Abujhmad at the heart of Bastar where a training facility would be set up under the central command.

Moreover, the army would take over the Bilaspur airport ostensibly to set up a brand new training facility for the special forces.

Asked what clarifications he sought from the government, Singh said, “we need to know what will happen if they (Naxals) fire and we fire back. How are we legally covered?

The chief said one part of the clarification would be to find out if the army could move the court on the ground of “self protection” if it was attacked by the Naxals and retaliated.