New Delhi: All state governments, irrespective of political affiliations, are "on the same page" in fighting internal security challenges, Home Minister P. Chidambaram said Sunday after a meeting with chief ministers.

"Not a single discordant note emerged in the conference. The whole nation is responding in the spirit of unity. It is in itself a big achievement... a message to all those who challenge India's internal security," Chidambaram told reporters after the meeting on internal security ended.

"All states and union territories, irrespective of political parties of their administrative heads, are on the same page," Chidambaram said.

The home minister said the chief ministers of Maoist insurgency-affected states have endorsed the central government's initiative to fight leftwing extremism.

His remarks came as chief ministers of two Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ruled states - Narendra Modi of Gujarat and Raman Singh of Chhattisgarh - praised the central government's approach in fighting leftwing terrorism in India.

Chidambaram Sunday said the government would deploy security force to "re-establish control of civil administration" in areas affected by Maoist extremism.

He said forces will be deployed to reassert the authority of civil administration in these areas and if an confrontation occurs, the forces will put down violence.

On the question of Maoists gaining prominence in Telangana, Chidambaram said some leftwing elements may have tried to exploit the issue concerning Andhra Pradesh but the movement was under control.

Chidambaram said the states had been asked to redouble efforts to recruit 50,000 personnel between April and September this year.

He said Gujarat has conveyed that it will reach the stage of zero vacancy in police force by March this year and Maharashtra was expected to achieve the goal by end of 2010.

The minister said that the "desired goal of zero vacancy" across the country was expected to be reached by December 2010 or March 2011.

Chidambaram also said he was proud that "even" 26/11 terror attack accused Ajmal Amir Kasab was getting a "fair trial" in a Mumbai court.

Kasab, the lone terrorist captured alive during the Mumbai attacks, was being tried in a court of law and will be punished if found guilty, the minister said, adding he was proud that "even Kasab gets a fair trial".

Chidambaram was speaking to reporters after a conference of chief ministers on internal security.

Answering queries about the punishment awarded to those involved in terror attacks, he said India was a "civilised nation and there can't be a kangaroo trial".

EMAIL THIS NEWS COMMENTS No comments yet