Raman asks Centre to develop media strategy to deal naxalism

      New Delhi, August 17, 2009: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh today called upon the Centre to draft a media strategy to counter naxalites at the national and international levels.

     “I think the Government of India need to evolve a multi pronged media strategy to counter such propaganda at national and international level while upholding our cherished Fundamental Right of freedom of expression,” Singh told the Chief Ministers’ Conference on Internal Security in New Delhi today, inaugurated by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh.

     During the Mumbai attack the entire nation witnessed the incident through the mass media but to the surprise of many when the tribals fall prey to the naxal violence and are massacred, it never generates that degree of sympathy across the nation, Singh said.

      On the contrary, some people from Delhi and abroad come to Raipur and stage protest against the anti-naxal operations of the Chhattisgarh Government, he said.

      Speaking from his personal experience, the Chief Minister said that the local media had been far more sensitive to this issue and have done objectivereporting when a section of media has eulogise naxalism without knowing true character and nature of naxal movement.

     It was also his experience that the naxalites have not got much success at the State level because the people and media of these areas are well aware about the true nature of this movement, Singh said.

    However, the naxals have been successful in their propaganda in Delhi and in international cities. “I think Government of India need to evolve a multi pronged media strategy to counter such propaganda at national and international level while upholding our cherished Fundamental Right of freedom of expression,” he added.

     The Chief Minister also demanded that people displaced due to naxal violence should also be counted in the category of the victims of major disaster, because they have been forced by terror to flee from their homes.

    People, who have lost their livelihoods due to naxalism do get help from state government but now the time has come to categorize naxal violence as national disaster so that the affected persons can get relief from National Disaster Relief Fund, he said.