Govt may use air power against Naxals: PM

NEW DELHI, APRIL 7
 In the wake of the worst-ever Naxal attack, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said all options to fight against Maoists like using air power are being “reviewed” from time to time but no decision has been taken yet on it.
“I think, the policy has to be reviewed practically from time to time, learning from experience. (But) we are too close to the event to take a view that the existing policy needs to be modified,” he told reporters when asked whether the government was planning to revisit the anti-Naxal strategy.
Asked whether use of air-power was being considered, Singh said, “All these options are kept open and continuously reviewed…. As of now, we have not taken any view in this direction.’
Singh was talking to media persons at Rashtrapati Bhavan after presentation of Padma awards.
Naxals struck in a big way in Dantewada in Chhattisgarh yesterday, killing 75 CRPF personnel.
Using IAF:  The government may have to reconsider its policy of not using the Indian Air Force in the fight against Naxalites, Home Minister P Chidambaram said today but cautioned aganst “knee-jerk” reactions in the wake of the savage Maoist attack in Chattisgarh yesterday. However, he said there will be no let-up in the offensive against Naxals.
Maintaining that a “war” has been thrust on the government by the Maoists, Chidambaram told a press conference here there was no proposal to use the army in the fight against Naxals.
But replying to another question he said at present there was no mandate to use the Air Force or any aircraft. “But if necessary we will have to revisit the mandate and make some changes.”
The minister said his government still believed that the State police backed by central paramilitary forces were sufficient to counter the Maoist threat.