‘Naxals do extort from businessmen’
Chief minister Ashok Chavan has supported state home minister Mr R.R. Patil’s statement that the Naxal movement is funded by local businessmen and the mining industry. The CM said that the businessmen and industrialists may not be financing the Naxal movement voluntarily, but it is possible that they are being forced to pay up.
“There is nothing wrong with the home minister’s statement,” Mr Chavan said, adding, “The government is not saying that businessmen or industrialists are willingly providing funds. I don’t think even the home minister meant that. But it is true that the Naxals collect protection money from businessmen.”
The CM also appealed to local people, businessmen and industrialists from the Naxal-affected areas not to fall prey to threats. He also guaranteed full protection to those who approach the government in case they receive any threat from the Naxals.
“If the Naxals are demanding money from businessmen, the government will ensure that the businessmen are protected. What the home minister said has to be true. As in charge of the home ministry, Mr Patil would know more about the issue. Businesses like mining and tendu leaf manufacturing are located at relatively secluded places in jungles. The Naxals take advantage of this situation to extort money,” Mr Chavan said.
The CM added that the Central government has deployed paramilitary forces to help the local police in action against the Naxal movement and the police has also done a good job so far.
Meanwhile, on Friday, Mr Patil had said that the links between the mining industry, tendu leaf growers and the Naxalites were an open secret. He also called for a probe by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence.
Mr Patil, who is also the guardian minister for the Naxal-affected Gadchiroli district, and has visited the area several times in recent months, said that the rebels had enough money to get modern weapons. “Earlier, they had only country-made weapons. But now they use sophisticated and even imported weapons,” he said.
Moreover, the home minister has claimed that in this entire Naxal machinery, there is a system according to which payments are made, and amounts decided. “The DRI should investigate about who provides financial aid to the Naxals and related details,” he said.
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