Thiruvananthapuram: The centre has assured to favourably consider the state’s plea for logistics support to deal with Left Wing extremism.
The 27th southern zonal council meeting held here on Wednesday under the chairmanship of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh also had positive discussions on lifting the ceiling on profession tax, extending the peninsular region industrial development corridor to Kochi and extension of the Thiruvananthapuram - Kasargod high-speed rail corridor to Mangalore and Udupi, secretary of the Inter State Council Secretariat Ms. Naini Jayasheelan told reporters.
Chief secretary S M Vijayanand said that the Union Home Minister assured that he would favourably consider the centre’s requests for funds for logistics. However, the centre did not agree to the state’s demand for an exclusive battalion to deal with left wing extremism. “The centre is convinced of Left Wing extremism activities in the state,” the Chief Secretary said.
Mr. Rajnath Singh said at the meeting that the recent Left Wing extremism-related incidents in Kerala underscored the paramount need for further tightening the administrative and police machinery. He also called for better coordination among the border states, especially the trijunction of Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The meeting also observed that most Maoist movements were seen in seven districts of Kerala and five in Karnataka.
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu government had suggested a surrender-cum-rehabilitation scheme to help Left wing extremists who wanted to abjure violence and join the mainstream.
Mr. Vijayanand said that Kerala had proposed necessary amendments to lift the maximum ceiling of Rs. 2,500 on professional tax. The other states also supported it and the council will be taking the matter forward.
The Zonal Council, comprising Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Puducherry and Andaman and Nicobar, discussed 22 items concerning inter-state cooperation, of which 16 were resolved. The next meeting of the council will be held in Karnataka.
Kummanam meets Rajnath Singh
Meanwhile, BJP state president Kumman Rajasekharan presented a slew of memorandums to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh who was here on a day long visit. He demanded that the conspiracy behind the murder of T. P. Chandrasekhar and the terrorist link of Malappuram Sathyasarani should be probed as the banend outfit had undertaken more than 500 religious conversions.
