Meeting for the second day in a row, the Group of Ministers (GoM) on Bhopal gas tragedy today discussed legal options available in the aftermath of the trial court judgement and reached “some tentative conclusions“.
“We discussed all pending legal issues and legal options available to the government after the judgement of trial court,” said Home Minister P. Chidambaram, who heads to the reconstituted GoM, after its meeting here.
“We heard all concerned and reached some tentative conclusions,” he told reporters but did not give details.
He said “these conclusions” will be firmed up in the report to be submitted to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday.
The nine-member GoM was reconstituted on June 7 amid raging controversy over the quantum of punishment given to those accused in the case, with the political class in unison terming it as “too little, too late“.
It began its meeting on Friday.
Among various issues, the GoM is considering increase in compensation for those affected by the 1984 disaster.
The Planning Commission has already approved a package of Rs 982 crore for the gas disaster victims.
Chidambaram said the GoM, at the next meeting this evening, will discuss issues relating to health and how to bring healthcare to people who have suffered and “perhaps continue to suffer“.
Issues related to drinking water will also be discussed.
The Prime Minister has directed the GoM to expedite its work and asked it on June 14 to submit report within 10 days.
Showing posts with label P. Chidambaram. Show all posts
Showing posts with label P. Chidambaram. Show all posts
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
PM gives Bhopal GoM 10 days to file report
Amidst growing outrage over last week’s verdict on the Bhopal gas tragedy, the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, stepped in on Monday and directed the group of ministers (GoM) headed by the Union home minister, Mr P. Chidambaram, to report to the Union Cabinet within 10 days after assessing the “options and remedies available”.
Contrary to what has been reported so far — that the GoM under Mr Chidambaram was reconstituted following the trial court’s order in the gas leak case last week — the GoM was set up on May 26 while the Bhopal court order came on June 7. Therefore, its reconstitution had nothing to do with the Bhopal court’s verdict, said sources.Moreover, for all the chest-beating on the part of the BJP for the gas victims, it has now come to light that a BJP-led Madhya Pradesh government had rejected in 2008-09, a proposal to set up an empowered commission to look after the interests of those affected by the 1984 gas leak.
Sources told this newspaper that the proposal to set up such a commission had been made by the previous GoM headed by the senior Congress leader, Mr Arjun Singh since 2004. At present, Mr Singh himself is being slammed for his role in allowing the former Union Carbide Corporation chief, Mr Warren Anderson, to escape.
With the proposal for the empowered commission not passing muster with the BJP-led state government, the Centre was unable to push ahead with it, said sources. The Centre was chary of being accused of disturbing the federal structure if it went ahead with the commission without the state government’s concurrence.
“Not everybody agreed on the commission and, in particular, the then state government did not support it,” said sources. The state government reportedly took the plea that it would take care of the issues and thus no commission was needed.
Contrary to what has been reported so far — that the GoM under Mr Chidambaram was reconstituted following the trial court’s order in the gas leak case last week — the GoM was set up on May 26 while the Bhopal court order came on June 7. Therefore, its reconstitution had nothing to do with the Bhopal court’s verdict, said sources.Moreover, for all the chest-beating on the part of the BJP for the gas victims, it has now come to light that a BJP-led Madhya Pradesh government had rejected in 2008-09, a proposal to set up an empowered commission to look after the interests of those affected by the 1984 gas leak.
Sources told this newspaper that the proposal to set up such a commission had been made by the previous GoM headed by the senior Congress leader, Mr Arjun Singh since 2004. At present, Mr Singh himself is being slammed for his role in allowing the former Union Carbide Corporation chief, Mr Warren Anderson, to escape.
With the proposal for the empowered commission not passing muster with the BJP-led state government, the Centre was unable to push ahead with it, said sources. The Centre was chary of being accused of disturbing the federal structure if it went ahead with the commission without the state government’s concurrence.
“Not everybody agreed on the commission and, in particular, the then state government did not support it,” said sources. The state government reportedly took the plea that it would take care of the issues and thus no commission was needed.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
PC invites Maoists for talks, offers ceasefire
Confusion prevails in the Union home ministry on how to deal with the terror unleashed by Maoists. Intelligence outfits operating in Maoist-dominated areas appear clueless about the insurgents’ movements while they continue to strike with impunity.
The home minister, Mr P. Chidambaram, and some senior Congress leaders have different views on what the government should do. While Mr Chidambaram said on Monday that he was trying to “convince” the Union Cabinet to authorise the use of the Air Force in anti-Naxal operations, the senior Congress leader, Mr Digvijay Singh articulated the opposite viewpoint: that the armed forces should not be brought in. The Army and the Air Force are not in favour of getting involved. The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, is expected to review the strategy against Maoists at a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
Mr Chidambaram, a day after referring to the possible use of air power in a television interview, on Tuesday reiterated the government’s offer of talks if the Maoists “suspend” violence while speaking on another TV channel. “The Maoists should say — ‘We’ll abjure violence’. Then we (the government) will actually suspend violence for 72 hours.”
The home minister added: “We’ll get the Chief Ministers on board. We will respond. We’ll fix a date, time and place for talks, and let the Maoists ... talk on anything they wish.”
“All CMs have an unlimited mandate to tackle Maoist violence. The Centre can only assist,” he said.
The home minister, Mr P. Chidambaram, and some senior Congress leaders have different views on what the government should do. While Mr Chidambaram said on Monday that he was trying to “convince” the Union Cabinet to authorise the use of the Air Force in anti-Naxal operations, the senior Congress leader, Mr Digvijay Singh articulated the opposite viewpoint: that the armed forces should not be brought in. The Army and the Air Force are not in favour of getting involved. The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, is expected to review the strategy against Maoists at a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
Mr Chidambaram, a day after referring to the possible use of air power in a television interview, on Tuesday reiterated the government’s offer of talks if the Maoists “suspend” violence while speaking on another TV channel. “The Maoists should say — ‘We’ll abjure violence’. Then we (the government) will actually suspend violence for 72 hours.”
The home minister added: “We’ll get the Chief Ministers on board. We will respond. We’ll fix a date, time and place for talks, and let the Maoists ... talk on anything they wish.”
“All CMs have an unlimited mandate to tackle Maoist violence. The Centre can only assist,” he said.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
PC tells India Inc. to take on Maoists
The home minister, Mr P. Chidambaram, on Wednesday asked the India Inc to spend money to counter the propaganda of Maoist sympathisers.
Speaking at the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) annual meet, Mr Chidambaram said a small group in civil society held the view that the government was an enemy it should be fought at every stage.
“They believe that if in that fight if an armed liberation struggle takes place in this country so be it,” he said. “Many of these people are highly educated. They hold very important positions in universities and write very well.”
The home minister said what bothered him more was the lack of concern of the other large section of civil society. “How many of you have raised your voices and spoken in favour of development?” he asked. “How many of you are going to spend money to counter this propaganda?”
Speaking at the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) annual meet, Mr Chidambaram said a small group in civil society held the view that the government was an enemy it should be fought at every stage.
“They believe that if in that fight if an armed liberation struggle takes place in this country so be it,” he said. “Many of these people are highly educated. They hold very important positions in universities and write very well.”
The home minister said what bothered him more was the lack of concern of the other large section of civil society. “How many of you have raised your voices and spoken in favour of development?” he asked. “How many of you are going to spend money to counter this propaganda?”
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Sonia to Jairam: Apologise
The minister of state for environment and forests, Mr Jairam Ramesh, who arrived from Beijing on Monday, has been asked by the Congress president, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, to apologise to the home minister, Mr P. Chidambaram, for his remarks while on Chinese soil that the home ministry’s policies on Chinese investment in this country were “paranoid” and “alarmist”.
The minister also got a sharp rebuke from the PM, Dr Manmohan Singh, who told him that he had no business commenting in public on the work of other ministries.
Sources in the Prime Minister’s Office said Dr Singh, who spoke to Mr Ramesh shortly after the latter’s return that it was “not advisable” for ministerial colleagues to “comment on the functioning of other departments, specially with regard to the relationship with important neighbours like China.”
The Prime Minister also told Mr Ramesh that “there is no confusion” about India’s policy towards China, and that “we continue to strive for constructive engagement with Beijing”. Mr Ramesh later also gave an explanation for his remarks to Mrs Gandhi.
Mr Ramesh’s utterances have proved acutely embarrassing for the government as they exposed the clear differences and squabbling within the council of ministers. They also do the Congress no good, given that it is still trying to recover from the senior leader, Mr Digvijay Singh, recently accusing the home minister of “intellectual arrogance”.
With the home minister also shooting off a missive to Dr Singh about Mr Ramesh’s remarks, the minister of state clearly had a lot of explaining to do.
The minister also got a sharp rebuke from the PM, Dr Manmohan Singh, who told him that he had no business commenting in public on the work of other ministries.
Sources in the Prime Minister’s Office said Dr Singh, who spoke to Mr Ramesh shortly after the latter’s return that it was “not advisable” for ministerial colleagues to “comment on the functioning of other departments, specially with regard to the relationship with important neighbours like China.”
The Prime Minister also told Mr Ramesh that “there is no confusion” about India’s policy towards China, and that “we continue to strive for constructive engagement with Beijing”. Mr Ramesh later also gave an explanation for his remarks to Mrs Gandhi.
Mr Ramesh’s utterances have proved acutely embarrassing for the government as they exposed the clear differences and squabbling within the council of ministers. They also do the Congress no good, given that it is still trying to recover from the senior leader, Mr Digvijay Singh, recently accusing the home minister of “intellectual arrogance”.
With the home minister also shooting off a missive to Dr Singh about Mr Ramesh’s remarks, the minister of state clearly had a lot of explaining to do.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Buck stops with me: PC
Under increasing fire after the Maoists massacred 76 CRPF jawans at Dantewada earlier this week, the Union home minister, Mr P. Chidambaram, offered to resign in an effort to salvage his position in the government and the party.
Within hours of Mr Chidambaram made public his offer to resign, the Prime Minister’s Office made it known that Dr Manmohan Singh had rejected it.
Mr Chidambaram’s decision to make his resignation offer known a day before the Prime Minister’s departure on a week-long foreign trip could be significant in the expectation of securing Dr Singh’s full backing ahead of the Parliament session when the massacre is likely to come up. Mr Chidambaram, who had told the West Bengal Chief Minister, Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, in Lalgarh last Sunday that the “buck stopped with the CM” in the context of political violence in that state, was forced to admit on Friday that the “buck stops at my desk.”
Chronicle had asked Mr Chidambaram on Friday in the Op-Ed article Talk less, do more, Mr Chidambaram, “who does that buck (the Dantewada massacre stop with.”
Later in the day, the home minister, speaking at the CRPF’s Valour Day function, said: “I have been asked directly or indirectly where the buck stops for what happened in Dantewada. I have no hesitation saying the buck stops at my desk. I accept full responsibility for what happened in Dantewada”.
The home minister has been landing the government and the party in a series of controversies, including the December 9 announcement on Telangana — “the process for the formation of Telangana has been initiated — that set off a firestorm in Andhra Pradesh.
This is not the first time that Mr Chidambaram has offered to step down from a high position — he had resigned from the Cabinet in 1992 accepting moral responsibility for having invested in Fairgrowth, a company allegedly involved in the securities scam, and then prime minister P.V. Narasimha Rao accepted his resignation.
Questions are now being asked in political circles on what prompted the home minister to take this step: was it to silence critics in the party or to project an image of indispensability?
Guessing games are also on in the Congress on possible successors in case the PM had been inclined to
Within hours of Mr Chidambaram made public his offer to resign, the Prime Minister’s Office made it known that Dr Manmohan Singh had rejected it.
Mr Chidambaram’s decision to make his resignation offer known a day before the Prime Minister’s departure on a week-long foreign trip could be significant in the expectation of securing Dr Singh’s full backing ahead of the Parliament session when the massacre is likely to come up. Mr Chidambaram, who had told the West Bengal Chief Minister, Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, in Lalgarh last Sunday that the “buck stopped with the CM” in the context of political violence in that state, was forced to admit on Friday that the “buck stops at my desk.”
Chronicle had asked Mr Chidambaram on Friday in the Op-Ed article Talk less, do more, Mr Chidambaram, “who does that buck (the Dantewada massacre stop with.”
Later in the day, the home minister, speaking at the CRPF’s Valour Day function, said: “I have been asked directly or indirectly where the buck stops for what happened in Dantewada. I have no hesitation saying the buck stops at my desk. I accept full responsibility for what happened in Dantewada”.
The home minister has been landing the government and the party in a series of controversies, including the December 9 announcement on Telangana — “the process for the formation of Telangana has been initiated — that set off a firestorm in Andhra Pradesh.
This is not the first time that Mr Chidambaram has offered to step down from a high position — he had resigned from the Cabinet in 1992 accepting moral responsibility for having invested in Fairgrowth, a company allegedly involved in the securities scam, and then prime minister P.V. Narasimha Rao accepted his resignation.
Questions are now being asked in political circles on what prompted the home minister to take this step: was it to silence critics in the party or to project an image of indispensability?
Guessing games are also on in the Congress on possible successors in case the PM had been inclined to
Thursday, April 8, 2010
PC hints at use of air fire on Maoists
Policemen stood in grief and anger at a special ceremony held on Wednesday at Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh, to pay homage to the 76 CRPF men killed by Maoists even as the Union home minister, Mr P. Chidambaram, told reporters there that the government may have to reconsider its policy of not using the Air Force in the fight against Naxalites.
[Naxals fired at a CRPF camp in Dantewada district late on Wednesday night, defying stepped-up security after Tuesday’s bloodiest-ever attack against the security forces, PTI reports. The Naxals fired four rounds at the CRPF camp in Palampalli village and security personnel promptly retaliated, the Chhattisgarh DGP, Mr Viswa Ranjan, said.]
In New Delhi, the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, said all options, like using air power in the fight against Maoists, are “reviewed” from time to time. “I think the policy has to be reviewed practically from time to time, learning from experience. We are too close to the event to take a view that the existing policy needs to be modified,” he stated.
In Gandhinagar, the IAF Chief, Air Chief Marshal P.V. Naik, said he was not in favour of the use of air power in anti-Naxal operations but added that the IAF would be ready to join operations against the Naxals if a decision is taken.
[Naxals fired at a CRPF camp in Dantewada district late on Wednesday night, defying stepped-up security after Tuesday’s bloodiest-ever attack against the security forces, PTI reports. The Naxals fired four rounds at the CRPF camp in Palampalli village and security personnel promptly retaliated, the Chhattisgarh DGP, Mr Viswa Ranjan, said.]
In New Delhi, the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, said all options, like using air power in the fight against Maoists, are “reviewed” from time to time. “I think the policy has to be reviewed practically from time to time, learning from experience. We are too close to the event to take a view that the existing policy needs to be modified,” he stated.
In Gandhinagar, the IAF Chief, Air Chief Marshal P.V. Naik, said he was not in favour of the use of air power in anti-Naxal operations but added that the IAF would be ready to join operations against the Naxals if a decision is taken.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Chidambaram leaves for Chhattisgarh
Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram will on Wednesday make an on-the-spot assessment and review the situation in Chhattisgarh after the Maoist attack that killed 76 CRPF personnel.
Mr. Chidambaram, who left for Raipur on Wednesday morning, is expected to meet Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh and other senior security officials, sources said.
On Tuesday, 76 CRPF personnel, who appeared to have walked into the Maoists’ “trap”, were killed in the Mukrana forests of Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh, one of the strongholds of the Maoists.
The attack took place between 6 am and 7 am on a batch of 82, including 80 CRPF personnel. Two were from the local police.
The personnel were returning to the base camp as part of a joint operation when it came under fire from hill features just about 4 km away.
Virtually an entire company of the CRPF was wiped out when 75 of its personnel including Deputy Commandant Satyawan Singh Yadav and Assistant Commandant B.L. Meena along with the head constable of the Chhattisgarh police were killed.
The attack shook the Centre and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh held a meeting with Mr. Chidambaram and assessed the situation. Both of them expressed shock over the attack and grief over the loss of lives.
The Prime Minister had called it a “horrific” incident.
Mr. Chidambaram, rattled by the “very high” casualty, said something must have gone “drastically wrong” in the joint operation as the personnel seemed to have walked into a trap.
Mr. Chidambaram, who left for Raipur on Wednesday morning, is expected to meet Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh and other senior security officials, sources said.
On Tuesday, 76 CRPF personnel, who appeared to have walked into the Maoists’ “trap”, were killed in the Mukrana forests of Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh, one of the strongholds of the Maoists.
The attack took place between 6 am and 7 am on a batch of 82, including 80 CRPF personnel. Two were from the local police.
The personnel were returning to the base camp as part of a joint operation when it came under fire from hill features just about 4 km away.
Virtually an entire company of the CRPF was wiped out when 75 of its personnel including Deputy Commandant Satyawan Singh Yadav and Assistant Commandant B.L. Meena along with the head constable of the Chhattisgarh police were killed.
The attack shook the Centre and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh held a meeting with Mr. Chidambaram and assessed the situation. Both of them expressed shock over the attack and grief over the loss of lives.
The Prime Minister had called it a “horrific” incident.
Mr. Chidambaram, rattled by the “very high” casualty, said something must have gone “drastically wrong” in the joint operation as the personnel seemed to have walked into a trap.
Maoists kill 76 in savage attack
Bhopal/New Delhi, April 6: At least 76 security force personnel were killed on Tuesday when Naxalite guerrillas used guns and explosives against a surrounded Central Reserve Police Force contingent in the Mukarna forest near the village of Chintalnar-Tarmetla in Dantewada district, which lies in Naxalite-affected Bastar region of Chhattisgarh. It was one of the most savage ambushes mounted by the Naxals.
The attack came 48 hours after Union home minister P. Chidambaram visited West Bengal and told state chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee that as far as Maoist violence was concerned, "the buck stops with the chief minister".
It was early on Tuesday morning that the Maoists launched the attack on the CRPF personnel, who were returning from a search operation following "information" that they had received on the Naxalites. However, it was a "well-laid trap" that the security forces appeared to have walked into as the Maoists fired at them from atop a hillock.
Nearly 1,000 Maoists are believed to have been involved in the massacre, outnumbering the approximately 100 security personnel. The area where the combing operation was being carried is known to be a Maoist stronghold.
Chhattisgarh additional director-general of police (anti-Naxal operations) Ram Nivas told this newspaper that the Naxalites, who were heavily armed, ambushed a CRPF contingent in a forested area in Dantewada district on Tuesday morning. He said it would not be possible to give a full account of what happened as they were still in the process of assessing the situation.
The Naxalites detonated a landmine, triggered blasts and opened fire at the trapped CRPF men. The Maoist guerrillas outnumbered the security personnel and were able to inflict heavy casualties by surrounding the CRPF contingent. An injured jawan later said there were about 1,000 Maoist guerrillas firing at the patrol party.
An official source in Raipur said a helicopter was sent from Jagdalpur, the Bastar district headquarters, to rush those injured in the attack to hospital. Requesting anonymity, he said the CRPF contingent had gone on an "Operation Green Hunt" mission into the jungle and while returning "walked into the Naxalites’ trap and were massacred".
He said there is something drastically wrong with the anti-Naxal operations. It will have to be investigated, the source said, including how well motivated were the CRPF men and whether or not they were given proper jungle and guerrilla warfare training before being posted in the Naxalite-affected area. Even the performance levels of their supervisors comes under the scanner, he added.
While state police officials said the security personnel were on a mission that is part of the on-going "Operation Green Hunt" targeting the Maoists, the Centre maintained it wasn’t part of this exercise.
Following the attack, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh spoke to Mr Chidambaram and also chaired a meeting of the National Security Council to take stock of the situation. Mr Chidambaram admitted that "something has gone drastically wrong" and added that the killings "show the savage nature of the CPI (Maoist)".
The bodies of the slain security personnel are expected in the national capital on Wednesday with the Centre having dispatched an AN-32 aircraft to transport the bodies. According to the home ministry, all security personnel involved in the search operation have been accounted for though the Maoists took away all their weapons.
In Chhattisgarh, a joint team of the BSF and state police swung into action after the bloody attack and arrested 12 suspected Maoists besides seizing their weapons from the Koilibeda area in Kanker district. Belonging to the Panidobir "dalam (unit)" allegedly led by Ram Singh, the joint team caught him along with his assistant Darsu.
The security personnel were returning after their early morning operation when they were ambushed. Literally surrounded by the Maoists, the personnel found themselves taking heavy fire and also stepping on pressure bombs. Among those who fell was a deputy commandant and an assistant commandant of the CRPF.
Dantewada SP Amresh Mishra said the Naxals first blew up a vehicle carrying CRPF personnel near Chintalnar-Tarmetla village in the district. Immediately after the blast, the CRPF personnel and a few policemen tried to take cover but then came the heavy firing from hundreds of Naxals, all well-entrenched atop a hillock.
In New Delhi, Union home secretary Gopal Pillai admitted an element of failure in the anti-Naxal operation had led to the incident. He said the massacre has strengthened the government’s resolve to give a "firmer and fitting reply to the murderers".
The home secretary, however, ruled out the use of air power in the fight against Naxalites. "I don’t think we need to use air power at the moment. We can manage with what we have. Our strategy is unfolding and we should be able to manage without air power," he stated.
The home ministry has sought details of the intelligence received by CRPF personnel which prompted such a large number of them to enter an area which did not fall within the parameters of the planned anti-Naxal offensive by the Centre. "Some information was planted on the security personnel which was so attractive that a large team went inside the jungle," home ministry sources said.
The Maoists laid the trap over days of planning, government sources said. A court of inquiry has been ordered into the incident to establish whether it was an intelligence failure on the part of the security forces, who probably did not verify the intelligence inputs they received nor reconnoitre the area, thus falling into the trap. It will also establish the sequence of events that led to the attack, a home ministry official said.
CRPF special director-general Vijay Raman rushed to the spot along with senior Chhattisgarh police officers to take stock of the ground situation. Speaking from the spot, he said on Tuesday evening it would not be possible to discuss anything at this stage.
A high alert has been declared in Mandla, Dhindori, Balaghat, Sidhi, Shahdol, Singrauli, and Umaria districts of Madhya Pradesh. These districts are known for Naxalite activity. One CRPF battalion has been deployed for Naxal-infested areas in the state.
The attack came 48 hours after Union home minister P. Chidambaram visited West Bengal and told state chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee that as far as Maoist violence was concerned, "the buck stops with the chief minister".
It was early on Tuesday morning that the Maoists launched the attack on the CRPF personnel, who were returning from a search operation following "information" that they had received on the Naxalites. However, it was a "well-laid trap" that the security forces appeared to have walked into as the Maoists fired at them from atop a hillock.
Nearly 1,000 Maoists are believed to have been involved in the massacre, outnumbering the approximately 100 security personnel. The area where the combing operation was being carried is known to be a Maoist stronghold.
Chhattisgarh additional director-general of police (anti-Naxal operations) Ram Nivas told this newspaper that the Naxalites, who were heavily armed, ambushed a CRPF contingent in a forested area in Dantewada district on Tuesday morning. He said it would not be possible to give a full account of what happened as they were still in the process of assessing the situation.
The Naxalites detonated a landmine, triggered blasts and opened fire at the trapped CRPF men. The Maoist guerrillas outnumbered the security personnel and were able to inflict heavy casualties by surrounding the CRPF contingent. An injured jawan later said there were about 1,000 Maoist guerrillas firing at the patrol party.
An official source in Raipur said a helicopter was sent from Jagdalpur, the Bastar district headquarters, to rush those injured in the attack to hospital. Requesting anonymity, he said the CRPF contingent had gone on an "Operation Green Hunt" mission into the jungle and while returning "walked into the Naxalites’ trap and were massacred".
He said there is something drastically wrong with the anti-Naxal operations. It will have to be investigated, the source said, including how well motivated were the CRPF men and whether or not they were given proper jungle and guerrilla warfare training before being posted in the Naxalite-affected area. Even the performance levels of their supervisors comes under the scanner, he added.
While state police officials said the security personnel were on a mission that is part of the on-going "Operation Green Hunt" targeting the Maoists, the Centre maintained it wasn’t part of this exercise.
Following the attack, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh spoke to Mr Chidambaram and also chaired a meeting of the National Security Council to take stock of the situation. Mr Chidambaram admitted that "something has gone drastically wrong" and added that the killings "show the savage nature of the CPI (Maoist)".
The bodies of the slain security personnel are expected in the national capital on Wednesday with the Centre having dispatched an AN-32 aircraft to transport the bodies. According to the home ministry, all security personnel involved in the search operation have been accounted for though the Maoists took away all their weapons.
In Chhattisgarh, a joint team of the BSF and state police swung into action after the bloody attack and arrested 12 suspected Maoists besides seizing their weapons from the Koilibeda area in Kanker district. Belonging to the Panidobir "dalam (unit)" allegedly led by Ram Singh, the joint team caught him along with his assistant Darsu.
The security personnel were returning after their early morning operation when they were ambushed. Literally surrounded by the Maoists, the personnel found themselves taking heavy fire and also stepping on pressure bombs. Among those who fell was a deputy commandant and an assistant commandant of the CRPF.
Dantewada SP Amresh Mishra said the Naxals first blew up a vehicle carrying CRPF personnel near Chintalnar-Tarmetla village in the district. Immediately after the blast, the CRPF personnel and a few policemen tried to take cover but then came the heavy firing from hundreds of Naxals, all well-entrenched atop a hillock.
In New Delhi, Union home secretary Gopal Pillai admitted an element of failure in the anti-Naxal operation had led to the incident. He said the massacre has strengthened the government’s resolve to give a "firmer and fitting reply to the murderers".
The home secretary, however, ruled out the use of air power in the fight against Naxalites. "I don’t think we need to use air power at the moment. We can manage with what we have. Our strategy is unfolding and we should be able to manage without air power," he stated.
The home ministry has sought details of the intelligence received by CRPF personnel which prompted such a large number of them to enter an area which did not fall within the parameters of the planned anti-Naxal offensive by the Centre. "Some information was planted on the security personnel which was so attractive that a large team went inside the jungle," home ministry sources said.
The Maoists laid the trap over days of planning, government sources said. A court of inquiry has been ordered into the incident to establish whether it was an intelligence failure on the part of the security forces, who probably did not verify the intelligence inputs they received nor reconnoitre the area, thus falling into the trap. It will also establish the sequence of events that led to the attack, a home ministry official said.
CRPF special director-general Vijay Raman rushed to the spot along with senior Chhattisgarh police officers to take stock of the ground situation. Speaking from the spot, he said on Tuesday evening it would not be possible to discuss anything at this stage.
A high alert has been declared in Mandla, Dhindori, Balaghat, Sidhi, Shahdol, Singrauli, and Umaria districts of Madhya Pradesh. These districts are known for Naxalite activity. One CRPF battalion has been deployed for Naxal-infested areas in the state.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
PC alerts state on Maoist
The Union home minister, Mr P. Chidambaram, has alerted the AP government on the bail granted to the CPI-Maoist central committee member, Thusharkanth Bhattacharya, who is lodged in the Cherlapally jail.
Mr Chidambaram on Monday called on the Chief Minister, Mr K. Rosaiah, to ensure that the state police keep a close watch on Bhattacharya as he is wanted in other cases in Maharasthra, UP and W. Bengal.
The Chief Minister immediately talked to the director-general of police, Mr Girish Kumar, and instructed him to comply with the advice of the Union home minister.
The state government would want to avoid repeating the embarrassing experience of the Maoist central committee member, Malla Raji Reddy, jumping bail in October 2009 and rejoining the Naxalite movement. Reddy is now believed to be taking an active part in West Bengal Naxal affairs. Thusharkanth Bhattacharya, alias Srikanth, is an accused in the Tappalapur village raid case of 1976 in which four persons were killed. He has been in the jail for two years and has now got a bail.
Earlier, Bhattacharya was acquitted in three other cases in Warangal. He also has cases against him in Bihar where he was arrested two years ago from the Dujra area in Patna.
Mr Chidambaram on Monday called on the Chief Minister, Mr K. Rosaiah, to ensure that the state police keep a close watch on Bhattacharya as he is wanted in other cases in Maharasthra, UP and W. Bengal.
The Chief Minister immediately talked to the director-general of police, Mr Girish Kumar, and instructed him to comply with the advice of the Union home minister.
The state government would want to avoid repeating the embarrassing experience of the Maoist central committee member, Malla Raji Reddy, jumping bail in October 2009 and rejoining the Naxalite movement. Reddy is now believed to be taking an active part in West Bengal Naxal affairs. Thusharkanth Bhattacharya, alias Srikanth, is an accused in the Tappalapur village raid case of 1976 in which four persons were killed. He has been in the jail for two years and has now got a bail.
Earlier, Bhattacharya was acquitted in three other cases in Warangal. He also has cases against him in Bihar where he was arrested two years ago from the Dujra area in Patna.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Chidambaram chairs meeting of Unified Command
Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday chaired the meeting of the Unified Command to discuss the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
Tight security arrangements have been made for the Home Minister’s visit in view of the State BJP’s plan to gherao him to protest his approval of the policy to allow surrender of militants mooted by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
Barring a demonstration by over 100 workers led by BJP’s State legislative party leader Chaman Lal Gupta at Bikram Chowk, the law and order situation was peaceful in the city, police said.
The meeting being held at the Chief Minister’s residence was attended by Director general of Police Kuldeep Khuda besides chiefs of BSF and CRPF.
The agenda of the meeting includes review of the security situation, plans of modernisation of the police force and the surrender policy, officials said.
Contours of the “cross-border surrender policy” after taking into consideration militants in PoK camps, latest intelligence inputs, screening setup and modalities of surrender are expected to be discussed.
The Centre has said it was ready to “welcome” Kashmiris who had gone to PoK if they were ready to return after giving up militancy.
“The idea that any Indian who had crossed over to PoK and wishes to return India is certainly welcome,” Chidambaram has said.
Tight security arrangements have been made for the Home Minister’s visit in view of the State BJP’s plan to gherao him to protest his approval of the policy to allow surrender of militants mooted by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
Barring a demonstration by over 100 workers led by BJP’s State legislative party leader Chaman Lal Gupta at Bikram Chowk, the law and order situation was peaceful in the city, police said.
The meeting being held at the Chief Minister’s residence was attended by Director general of Police Kuldeep Khuda besides chiefs of BSF and CRPF.
The agenda of the meeting includes review of the security situation, plans of modernisation of the police force and the surrender policy, officials said.
Contours of the “cross-border surrender policy” after taking into consideration militants in PoK camps, latest intelligence inputs, screening setup and modalities of surrender are expected to be discussed.
The Centre has said it was ready to “welcome” Kashmiris who had gone to PoK if they were ready to return after giving up militancy.
“The idea that any Indian who had crossed over to PoK and wishes to return India is certainly welcome,” Chidambaram has said.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Supreme Court moved on Telangana issue
Contending that the Centre has divided the people of Andhra Pradesh by announcing the process for formation of a Telangana State, an advocate has moved the Supreme Court for a direction to stay the process.
A three-judge Bench, comprising Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan and Justices R.M. Lodha and B.S. Chauhan posted the petition filed by Srikakulam-based advocate Bondada Purushottam Yadav for hearing on February 22.
The petition cited Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram’s announcement on December 9, 2009 on initiating the process. On December 23, another announcement was made that the Centre would take steps to involve all concerned in the process. On February 3, a committee headed by the former Supreme Court Judge, Justice B.N. Srikrishna, was constituted for this purpose.
The petitioner submitted that by making such announcements through executive orders, the Centre had divided the people of Andhra Pradesh, resulting in disturbance and violence and damage to public property. He sought a direction to restrain the Centre from initiating the process and to identify those responsible for causing damage to public property.
A three-judge Bench, comprising Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan and Justices R.M. Lodha and B.S. Chauhan posted the petition filed by Srikakulam-based advocate Bondada Purushottam Yadav for hearing on February 22.
The petition cited Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram’s announcement on December 9, 2009 on initiating the process. On December 23, another announcement was made that the Centre would take steps to involve all concerned in the process. On February 3, a committee headed by the former Supreme Court Judge, Justice B.N. Srikrishna, was constituted for this purpose.
The petitioner submitted that by making such announcements through executive orders, the Centre had divided the people of Andhra Pradesh, resulting in disturbance and violence and damage to public property. He sought a direction to restrain the Centre from initiating the process and to identify those responsible for causing damage to public property.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
India willing to normalise ties with Pakistan: Krishna
India has indicated its willingness to normalise ties with Pakistan following indications that Islamabad is serious about prosecuting the masterminds of the Mumbai terror attacks in November 2008. The first step in this direction would be the Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram’s end of the month visit to Rawalpindi to attend a meeting of SAARC Ministers where he could “get a chance to have useful exchanges” with Pakistani leaders in addition to the planned multilateral meetings, External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna told newspersons accompanying him for a visit to Kuwait.
Taking note of Pakistan’s readiness to accept the lone surviving gunman’s confessional statement as evidence to prosecute the planners of the Mumbai attacks and other evidence with respect to boats used to ferry the attackers from Karachi, Mr. Krishna said India interpreted these as constructive signals. “Any step forward in the direction of Pakistan also investigating the Mumbai attacks will certainly make it easier for India to carry our normalisation of business with Pakistan,” observed Mr. Krishna.
Asked whether India would move in the direction of reviving the composite dialogue if Pakistan continued to show resolve to bring to book its nationals involved in the Mumbai attacks, the Minister felt “India should be quite satisfied with Pakistan taking a few steps to investigate the Mumbai attacks”. He hoped Pakistan would continue to focus its attention on rooting out elements plotting violence in India and termed such an attitude as “extra helpful” to Indo-Pak bilateral relations and dialogue.
The External Affairs Minister had given indications of the possibility of a change in India’s position a day earlier when he said the “doors were not closed” to talks with Pakistan but it should continue to demonstrate its steadfastness to combating anti-India formations.
India had broken off all talks with Pakistan immediately after the Mumbai terror attacks but unlike the rift in bilateral ties after the Parliament House attacks in December 2001, it had not sundered people-to-people and trade links in the hope that the Pakistani leadership would also take the fight against terrorism to its eastern borders with India.
Taking note of Pakistan’s readiness to accept the lone surviving gunman’s confessional statement as evidence to prosecute the planners of the Mumbai attacks and other evidence with respect to boats used to ferry the attackers from Karachi, Mr. Krishna said India interpreted these as constructive signals. “Any step forward in the direction of Pakistan also investigating the Mumbai attacks will certainly make it easier for India to carry our normalisation of business with Pakistan,” observed Mr. Krishna.
Asked whether India would move in the direction of reviving the composite dialogue if Pakistan continued to show resolve to bring to book its nationals involved in the Mumbai attacks, the Minister felt “India should be quite satisfied with Pakistan taking a few steps to investigate the Mumbai attacks”. He hoped Pakistan would continue to focus its attention on rooting out elements plotting violence in India and termed such an attitude as “extra helpful” to Indo-Pak bilateral relations and dialogue.
The External Affairs Minister had given indications of the possibility of a change in India’s position a day earlier when he said the “doors were not closed” to talks with Pakistan but it should continue to demonstrate its steadfastness to combating anti-India formations.
India had broken off all talks with Pakistan immediately after the Mumbai terror attacks but unlike the rift in bilateral ties after the Parliament House attacks in December 2001, it had not sundered people-to-people and trade links in the hope that the Pakistani leadership would also take the fight against terrorism to its eastern borders with India.
