JOIN US“I am confident that in a period of two to three years we will be able to gain total control over these (Naxal-infested) areas,” he said in an interactive session at the India Economic Summit here.
Chidambaram said since he took over as home minister, states have got involved in tackling the Naxal menace. And “there is now a co-ordinated action against the CPI (Maoist).”
The Maoists believe in armed liberation struggle and want to expand their area of influence, he said. A democratic republican government cannot allow this. “We have to assert our authority,” the home minister said. Chidambaram said it is wrong to think that India is more vulnerable in the “crosshairs of many groups. We have the capacity to thwart any attack should there be any attack.”
He said the government has the capacity to contain Naxal menace in a “swift and decisive manner.” The states are now taking counter-insurgency measures against Naxals. “We have had significant successes. We have suffered some casualties, too,” he said.
Chidambaram said the government has also offered to hold talks with the Naxals provided they abjure violence. He sought to assure the business community about the security situation in the country. “We are no more vulnerable than any other country in the world,” he added.