Kerala seeks Centre's assistance to combat left extremist

Also stresses need to monitor social media to prevent misuse

Confirming intelligence reports that left wing extremists are trying to build their base in tribal hamlets of North Kerala, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy today sought the Centre's assistance to check and combat left extremists and fundamentalists.

Speaking at the National Integration Council meeting at New Delhi today,he said the state has confirmed the reports of sightings of left wing extremists in forest areas adjoining Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and also of them trying to build a base in hamlets of the northern districts of Kerala.

"I urge the Centre to extend all infrastructural as well as technological assistance to the State Government to check and combat left extremists and fundamentalists", Chandy said.

Chandy also said the state has been a relatively peaceful in all respects, and there have been no major incidents of communal or serious law and order problems in the state, in the last several years.

"But extraneous elements, utilizing issues which have nothing to do with the state or its people, do, at times pose a threat to this tranquillity", he said.

Chandy also stressed the need to monitor the social media to prevent its misuse.

"Social networking sites are sometimes misused for ill motivated propaganda and for organising agitations or riots", he added.