Political parties express anger over ‘inhuman’ act

Condemnation across party lines of Tuesday’s Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh was swift, with BJP leaders also accusing the UPA of going soft on the rebels.

Condemnation across party lines of Tuesday’s Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh was swift, with BJP leaders also accusing the UPA of going soft on the rebels. Congress General Secretary Janardan Dwivedi said whatever had happened in Dantewada was “most inhuman, condemnable and an attack on civil society”.

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Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said the “cornered” Maoists were “feeling the heat” because of the joint operations of the security forces and were “reacting in this manner”. He added, “Perhaps, this is a short-term price we are paying for starting a relentless battle against them.”

BJP spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy said his party would support any action against the Maoists. “There should be a fight to the finish,” he said.

“Today, we pay our homage to the CRPF jawans who died in Chhattisgarh.

The integrity of the nation is under threat,” BJP leader Arun Jaitley said. Underlining that 200 districts — a third of the country — were under Maoist control, he said: “Those who defend the Maoists, including human rights groups, are over-ground faces of these underground organisations.”

Expressing “grief and anger” at the killing of the jawans, the Samajwadi Party blamed Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram’s “loud-mouth attitude” for increased Maoist attacks. West Bengal government described the attack as “dastardly, shocking and barbaric”. “Except persons with a sick mentality, everyone should condemn such incidents,” Chief Secretary Ashok Mohan Chakraborty said.

“What has happened today in Chhattishgarh is a sad and tragic incident,” Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said. “Those who do not believe in the law of the land and indulge in such terrible crimes should be firmly dealt with.”

(With PTI inputs)