Chhattisgarh: In a 1st, C’garh Seeks to Involve Maoists in Framing New Naxal Surrender, Rehab Policy

Raipur: In a first, the Chhattisgarh government has sought to involve Maoists in framing its new surrender and rehabilitation policy for Naxals.

Deputy chief minister of Chhattisgarh government Vijay Sharma who also holds home portfolio has exhorted the Maoists to suggest measures to improve the existing policy on surrender and rehabilitation of Naxals in the state.

“I want the Maoists to have a say in the state government’s proposed new policy on surrender and rehabilitation of Naxals. I want them to say what they expect in the new policy”, Mr Sharma said.

He said that the Maoists can place their views on it either through video call or by writing letters to the state government.

The proposed policy on surrender and rehabilitation of Maoists mooted by the state government aims at ending Left wing extremism in Bastar, he said.

Mr Sharma said that the state government has also sought suggestions from people in different walks of life to make an effective policy on surrender and rehabilitation of Naxals.

Replying to a question as to why Maoists in Chhattisgarh have chosen to surrender in other states, Mr Sharma said that he would visit Maoist-affected states in the country to study their Naxal surrender and rehabilitation policy before framing the new policy of the Chhattisgarh government.

Many senior Maoists from Chhattisgarh were of late seen surrendering in the neighbouring states of Telangana and Odisha.

Chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Thursday said that his government has dealt with Maoism with strong hands leading to killing, arrest and surrender of Maoists in recent times.

He has earlier given a call to the Maoists to either surrender or get killed.