Amid a raging controversy over acquisition of land for special economic zones, Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil said on Saturday the government has an 'open mind' about 'refining' the SEZ policy.
"If the SEZ policy has to be refined, it will be done. Government has an open mind on the issue," he told reporters before inaugurating a private hospital in Bangalore.
On the Nandigram incident, where protest against land acquisition led to police firing killing 14 villagers and injuring many others, Patil said, "the SEZ policy will be refined in consultation with the state government, the farmers who own the land and the industriallists who want to put up the SEZs."
On the killing of 55 police personnel by Naxalities in Chhattisgarh, he said "the Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand governments must follow what has been done in Andhra Pradesh to curb naxalism."
Describing Chhattisgarh as "one of the worst affected states by naxalism followed by Jharkhand", Patil said naxal-related incidents in Chhattisgarh had shot to 47 per cent and "such deaths have increased to 57 per cent compared to Andhra Pradesh where naxal activity has come down by 30 to 40 per cent."
"Situation in Chhattisgarh is causing some concern and we have asked the state government to look into it," he said, adding the Centre has provided 13,000 police personnel, 15 armed vehicles, helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles to the Chattisgarh government to contain naxalism.
"It is for them (Chattisgarh government) to use it properly," he said.
