Chhattisgarh: Brijmohan Agrawal raises concern over urban naxals' support to Maoists

There is a need to check the support of urban sympathisers to Maoists so that the left-wing extremism can be eliminated in Chhattisgarh, senior cabinet minister Brijmohan Agrawal said Tuesday.

The minister of water resources, agriculture and biotechnology, animal husbandry and fisheries said Naxalism has ended from 75 per cent area of the state and 25 per cent region was currently under its "little" influence.

"There are some Naxal activities in 25 per cent of the areas that share borders with neighbouring states (Odisha and Andhra Pradesh). We will finish Naxalism soon from there too," he asserted.

Agrawal, who had been the home minister of the Naxal-hit state, said there was a support system for Maoists from urban areas of the country.

"So there is a need to check them so that Naxalism can be ended from the rural areas,” he told PTI.

The minister said left-wing extremism was not just affecting Chhattisgarh.

"It is an issue with some other states also. There has to be a joint policy, joint command and joint efforts to end Naxalism," he said.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh had recently said his government was making efforts through development projects to "soon neutralise" the ideological and financial support the Naxalites received from sympathisers in places from Raipur to Delhi.

"Like the Naxals are getting weaker, they (sympathisers) will also become weak. This fight (to check Naxalites and their supporters) is of Chhattisgarh and other states. We are getting successful (in checking Naxal activities) and this support system will soon be neutralised," Singh said.

Agrawal said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will form the government for the fourth consecutive term in the state.

Polls to the 90-member Chhattisgarh Assembly are due later this year.

He said the BJP's main agenda after winning the elections will be of development.

"We have done development and we will do development," the agriculture minister said, citing the presence of Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Law University, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and best airport, rail and road infrastructure in the state.

(With inputs from agencies.)