CPI-Maoist is the most violent organization in India: Chidambaram

New Delhi, Sep 15(ANI): Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram today said that left wing extremism is the most violent movement in the country.

Inaugurating the three-day DGPs/IGPs conference organized by the Intelligence Bureau in New Delhi, Chidambaram said: "The CPI-Maoist is the most violent organization in the country. I have always maintained that dealing with left wing extremism is a shared responsibility of the Centre and the States."

He further said that although the number of incidents and the number of casualties seem to indicate a decrease in the level of violence, "this is largely attributable to the changed situation in West Bengal".

"I regret to point out that there is no significant decline in violence in Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra and Orissa. Even in West Bengal, there are reports that the State unit has been instructed by the CPI-Maoist to develop guerrilla bases in Jangalmahal and to intensify the conflict," Chidambaram said.

"The CPI-Maoist has added at least four companies to the People's Liberation Guerrilla Army and its goal remains seizure of power through an armed liberation struggle," he added.

The Home Minister also said that the Central Government has shouldered its share of responsibility in dealing with the left wing extremism.

"We have deployed 71 battalions of CAPFs as against 37 in 2009. The budget allocation under SRE Scheme has been increased to Rs.337 crore in 2011-12 as against only Rs.80 crore in 2008-09. Likewise, the budget allocation under SIS Scheme has been increased to Rs.140 crore in 2011-12 as against only Rs.30 crore in 2009-10," he said.

"We have offered to fund 400 fortified police stations at a cost of Rs.2 crore per police station. We have sanctioned the raising of 13 Special IR Battalions that will have security and engineering components to support and implement development works. More helicopters are being inducted and other technological support is also being provided," he added.

He further appealed to the Directors General of Police that they must take ownership of counter insurgency measures and devise short and medium term strategies against left wing extremism.

"The cooperation between the Centre and the States has yielded good results but there is still a long distance to travel and more years of hard work," he added. (ANI)