Chouhan Concerned over CRPF Withdrawal from Balaghat
Bhopal — In a letter to the Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has cast serious concerns over the proposed withdrawal of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) from the Naxal affected district of Balaghat in the state.
In a recent communication to the state government, the Union Home Ministry had informed of its plans to withdraw the CRPF battalion posted in the area.
Lamenting the proposed pullout, Chouhan, in the letter, said Balaghat was within the high-voltage ‘Red Corridor’ and shared its borders with Rajnandgaon (Chhattisgarh) and Gondia (Maharashtra) — districts known for a strong Maoist presence.
Citing recent incidents of attempted Maoist violence in the area, Chouhan said that the proposed withdrawal would create a security vacuum which could lead to resurgence of Naxal domination in the district.
He maintained that the absence of the troops and the subsequent lack of deterrence would result in the rebels using the district as a sanctuary, especially when large-scale operations, against them, are launched in the region.
Requesting the Ministry for a reconsideration of the decision and requisite permissions to retain the CRPF battalion in Balaghat, Chouhan urged the Center to refrain from any changes to the “delicately poised” situation in the area.
