Union home secretary RK Singh inaugurates the regional headquarters of Indo-Tibetan Border Police at Danapur on Monday. Telegraph picture n See Page 6

Patna, April 2: In sync with the Centre’s tough stand against Maoists, Union home secretary Raj Kumar Singh today ruled out any dialogue with the rebels.

“There is no point in holding talks with them (Maoists),” Singh said, inaugurating the regional headquarters of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) in the state capital.

“They (Maoists) just want to set up a single-party rule like the one in China. They claim to fight against the government for the cause of the tribals. But the tribals suffer the most in the subversive acts of the Naxalites,” Singh, a Bihar cadre IAS officer, said.

Singh’s statement assumes significance because he ruled out dialogue with the rebels when Italian national Paolo Bosusco and BJD MLA Jhina Hikaka are in the captivity of the Maoists.

Of late, the Maoists have intensified their activities in different states. After taking hostage foreign nationals and a legislator in Odisha, they triggered a blast at rebel-hit Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra on March 27, killing at least 12 CRPF personnel.

Lambasting the sympathisers of Maoists, Singh said some non-government organisations (NGOs) were helping the rebels. “Several organisations, including a few NGOs, are helping these outfits in many ways.”

Singh said: “Whenever the rebels gain control over a particular area, they impose taxes (levy) on people and development takes a backseat.”

The officer said terrorism was another big challenge before the government. “Nepal shares a porous border with India in several areas. Those areas have become easy routes for the terrorists to enter India and give shape to their nefarious plans. A very strong intelligence set-up is required to put brakes on terrorists,” Singh said.

Singh announced that at least two battalions of the ITBP would be raised in Chhapra and Katihar in the near future to guard the state’s districts bordering Nepal. The battalions, the first in the state, would have their regional headquarters in Danapur.

The state, of late, has witnessed arrest of several people allegedly involved in serious terror acts. From November last year to February, 10 people having links with Indian Mujahideen were arrested from Bihar.

A special team of Delhi police arrested Mohammed Qafeel Ahmed for his close links with the Indian Mujahideen on February 22.

On February 5, Araria district police detained four persons, including one from Nepal and two from Kashmir. Araria superintendent of police Shivdeep Lande had said they were changing their statements constantly. They later admitted that they had been to Nepal as well.