Don't politicise anti-Naxal ops: Chhattisgarh CM

Amid controversy over a recent Naxal encounter in Chhattisgarh, state chief minister Raman Singh today asked the parties not to politicise the issue. He said that Naxals were using innocent villagers as shields to protect themselves from security forces.

Amid controversy over a recent Naxal encounter in Chhattisgarh, state chief minister Raman Singh on Tuesday asked the parties not to politicise the issue.

"Bijapur encounter was not a planned encounter. Such issues should not be politicised," Singh told reporters after meeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Delhi.

He said that Naxals were using innocent villagers as shields to protect themselves from security forces.

A controversy has erupted over the killing of 19 people in an anti-Maoist operation by security forces in the dense jungles of Dantewada in Chhattisgarh during the night intervening June 27 and 28.

The joint operation by over 300 CRPF and state police personnel has left questions whether all the victims were Naxals.

To a question over concerns related to safety of Rowghat mines in Chhattisgarh, he said, "It is unfortunate that matters of national developments are being opposed by Naxals.

"The state government is working towards development of backward regions. But Naxalites are opposing our efforts. They are trying to reverse the process of development."

The Prime minister on Tuesday morning met over 150 tribal students from Maoist-affected areas of Chhattisgarh who have been brought to New Delhi by the chief minister. They all have cleared entrance examinations for getting into engineering institutes.

The students had on Monday met President Pratibha Patil.