New Delhi: On Friday, home minister Amit Shah asked the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) to act against ‘urban naxals’ in addition to dealing with the threat posed by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir and maoist rebels in parts of central India.

Shah said that he would like to CRPF “to carry out an effective and decisive campaign against Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) operatives in the next six months”. He also asked the paramilitary force to act “against urban Naxals and their facilitators".

“The home minister directed the CRPF to carry out an effective and decisive campaign against Left Wing Extremism in the next six months. Action needs to be taken against the urban Naxals and their facilitators. The home minister emphasised that the road connectivity and medical infrastructure in LWE areas should be upgraded,” a statement by the ministry of home affairs said.

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His comments came while he was on a visit to the CRPF headquarters in Delhi on Friday.

‘Urban naxals’ is a term used by right wing commentators to describe a wide range of ideological opponents including human rights activists, lawyers and sometimes journalists.

Recently several human rights activists were arrested by the state after the Bhima Koregaon violence. Among other things, they have also been charged with being ‘urban naxals’.

Apart from directing the CRPF to act against ‘urban naxals’, Shah also asked that road connectivity and medical infrastructure in areas troubled by left wing extremism be upgraded.

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