Call to extremist outfits to abjure violence mark I-Day

New Delhi, Aug 15 (PTI) Vowing to deal sternly with
extremism, Chief Ministers of India Sunday asked such outfits
to abjure violence and join the mainstream while announcing
roadmaps for economic development for their states on
Independence Day.
The day passed off by and large peacefully as security
was tightened in Maoist-hit areas where the Left wing
extremists had given a call to observe 'black day' on Sunday.
Appealing to separatists to refrain from violence
during the holy month of Ramzan, Jammu and Kashmir Chief
Minister Omar Abdullah asked them to take advantage of Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh's statement that he was ready to
consider autonomy if there was a consensus. Kashmir, which
had been witnessing violent protests, remained calm.
With allegations of corruption plaguing the
preparations for the October Commonwealth Games, Delhi Chief
Minister Shiela Dikshit chose the occasion to send out a firm
message that anybody found guilty of irregularities would face
stern action.
Condemning Maoists violence, leaders in Chhattisgarh,
Jharkhand, Orissa and Kerala said extremism had no place in a
democracy and asked the Naxalites to give up weapons and
return to the mainstream.
"I call upon all Naxal elements to shun violence and
come back to the mainstream...as violent left wing extremism
cannot have any space in a democratic setup," Jharkhand
Governor M O H Farooq said after unfurling the tricolour on
64th Independence Day in Ranchi.
He said Naxalism was the biggest challenges both on
law and order as well as development fronts.
Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said in
Bhubaneshwar that the red rebels will not be allowed to
succeed in their bid to derail the process of development. He
said the government was making constant endeavour to ensure
economic and social development and bring peace in
Maoist-affected areas.
In Rajkot, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi
lashed out at the Central government saying that it had
failed to curb terrorism and Naxalism (Maoism) and lacked the
will to do it.
"The government at the Centre has no will to tackle
terrorism," said Modi after unfurling the tricolour.
"It's a demand of time to take strict action against
terrorism as the United States did after 9/11 and since
then terrorists didn't dare to target the country," he said
adding that it was unfortunate that the Prime Minister
Manmohan termed terrorism and Naxalism "as a mere serious
issue".
Manipur Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh appealed to
militant organisations to lay down arms. Amid tight security
in view of the boycott called by insurgent organisations,
Singh said in Imphal that violence cannot provide any solution
and asked militants to come to the negotiation table.
Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar said since
unemployment was one of the major causes of insurgency,
creating job opportunities can ensure peace in the state. MORE
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