After the government came under opposition attack on the handling of Naxal violence, Home Minister P Chidambaram today said the state governments have the primary responsibility to fight the Maoist menace and the Centre was ready to assist them.

Making a statement in the Rajya Sabha on the Dantewada massacre in which 76 security personnel were killed, Chidambaram said, "the state governments have the primary responsibility" to regain control of areas dominated by the Naxals.

The Central government, he said, was ready and willing to assist the state governments and to coordinate inter-state operations.

"To counter the menace of Naxalism, we need a strong head, a stronger heart and enormous staying power. I believe that the government has all three qualities," he said.

As the security forces were deployed in areas populated by scheduled tribes, they were facing hindrances, the minister said.

Earlier report:

Tribals' presence hindering operations against Maoists: PC

Centre is ready and willing to assist state governments and coordinate inter-state operations to fight the Maoists, says home minister P Chidamabaram.

The operations of the Central paramilitary forces are facing restrictions due to the presence of tribal population in Maoist-dominated areas, Chidamabaram said on Thursday in Rajya Sabha.

Earlier report:

Home minister P Chidambaram will make a statement in both Houses of Parliament on Thursday on the killing of 76 security personnel by Maoists in Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh.

Following an uproar in Lok Sabha, parliamentary affairs minister P K Bansal informed the members that Chidambaram would make a statement at 1300 hours.

Minister of state for parliamentary affairs Prithviraj Chavan said the government would make a statement on the issue in Rajya Sabha today.

In both Houses, opposition BJP members as well as those from Samajwadi Party, Left and JD(U) demanded suspension of Question Hour to take up a discussion on the Dantewada massacre.

Earlier, the Lok Sabha paid homage to the 75 CRPF men and a state police officer killed in the April six Maoist attack as also 11 Special Operation Group personnel killed by the extremists in Koraput district of Orissa on April four.