Chhattisgarh tribals displaced due to Maoists

NEW DELHI - The government Monday said that Chhattisgarh is the only Maoist-hit state where tribals have been displaced. Nearly 40,000 people were in relief camps in 2008 in the state.

In a written reply to Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Tushar A. Chaudhary quoted a National Human Rights Commissions report and said that nearly 40,000 people were in relief camps in August 2008 in Dantewada and Bijapur districts.

Though large parts of the tribal areas of the country, namely in the states of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa, Bihar, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh are affected by Naxalism. There are, however, no reports of displacement of tribals from any other states except Chhattisgarh, Chaudhary said.

Civilians in these areas are regularly targeted/attacked by Maoists for their suspected anti-Maoist activities, he said.

The minister added that it is mainly the responsibility of state governments to ensure security and development of these areas.

However, the central government supplements their effort by deployment of central paramilitary forces, he said.