Sonia Gandhi says Naxalism is biggest threat to internal security of India - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday said that naxalism is the biggest threat to internal security of India. Addressing a meeting of the All India Congress Committee (AICC), which is being held after 13 years, Gandhi said: "Naxalism or left-wing extremism is serious internal security threat. The government is firm to tame the Naxal threat while it is open for dialogue. "We have maintained that police action is necessary but greater emphasis is essential on economic issues. There must be greater sensitivity for daily concerns of tribals living there," she added. Expressing concern over the Maoist activities in some parts of the country, she said the extremists have caused serious law and order situation leading to senseless killing of civilians and security forces and wanton destruction of public property. "Armed struggle against the State by any section of the society cannot be tolerated. The government should take all appropriate steps to curb it," she added. "These areas need to be developed but it is the nature of that development is in question. People must have a say and they must have a stake," she said. "Destroying their habitat through indiscriminate exploitation of their natural resources does not end the abject poverty in which they are languishing," she added. The Maoists started a peasant revolt in Naxalbari village in West Bengal state in 1967, giving the name Naxalism to their movement and Naxalites to the cadres. The left wing extremists movement to have a hold on the areas where they have established control. They are resisting infrastructure development in those areas. Over 500 people have died this year alone, in an insurgency that has been simmering for four decades.