The Centre put off any decision on deploying the armed forces in anti-Maoist operations with a crucial Cabinet Committee on Security meeting ending inconclusively on Thurs-day. Differences of opinion between the home and defence ministries led to the CCS meeting ending without any clear way forward, sources said. The CCS,
chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, was to have discussed deployment of the armed forces in the battle against Naxalites. The sources said the CCS might meet again soon to consider the issue.
After the CCS meeting ended, the PM had a separate 20-minute meeting with finance minister Pra-nab Mukherjee and defence minister A.K. Antony. Home minister P. Chidam-baram will soon leave for Jharkhand to review anti-Naxal operations there.
Deployment of the paramilitary Assam Rifles, now undergoing major expansion, in counter-insurgency efforts was discussed by the CCS. Sources said due to the differences over use of regular military units, deploying the Assam Rifles is being seen as a viable option. The Assam Rifles, which has been on duty guarding the Burma border, is now being replaced there by the BSF.