New Delhi, Sept 13: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today called for a joint effort by the Centre and states to tackle Naxalism which “is a serious challenge to our internal security”.

He was inaugurating the unified commanders’ conference — an annual event of the military top brass and the security establishment — this morning.

“We will do all that is necessary to protect each and every citizen of our country, and deal firmly with those who resort to violence,” the Prime Minister was quoted saying in excerpts released to the media.

The full text of the speech at the conference was not made public. Calling the drive against Naxalism “a collective task involving the Centre and the states”, he said the administration should be more responsive in the areas where the rebels are active and be sensitive to local concerns.

Apart from the service chiefs and defence minister A.K. Antony, the closed-door conference was attended by finance minister Pranab Mukherjee, home minister P. Chidambaram, national security adviser Shiv Shankar Menon, home secretary G.K. Pillai, defence secretary Pradeep Kumar and senior officials of the PMO, the external affairs, home and defence ministries.