The Union Home Ministry has convened a meeting of chief ministers of Naxal- affected states on September 19 to work out a unified counter strategy.Soon after the peace initiative between Naxalites and the Andhra Pradesh government broke down in February, several quarters, including security forces, had called for a unified strategy. The Home Ministry, however, overlooked this and had maintained that since law and order is a state subject, each state is free to frame its own strategy to deal with Naxalites. It, however, added that dialogue was a preferred method for the states to resolve the issue with Naxalites.But at least 15 Naxal-affected sates had asked the Union Home Ministry to coordinate and frame a unified strategy at the last chief ministers’ conference in May. Though Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil was quick to announce a high-level committee for this purpose, the committee has not met even once.Senior Ministry officials said chief ministers of at least 10 Naxal- affected states have already agreed to attend the meeting. Officials also said that the ministry had asked each state to submit its proposal for a unified strategy across the nation which can be taken up at the meeting.
