Cong supported terrorism: Rajnath

Rajnath Singh held Congress responsible for the spread of terrorism and naxalism in the country.

Alleging that Congress was responsible for the spread of terrorism and naxalism in the country, BJP President Rajnath Singh on Tuesday defended the Chhattisgarh government's peace campaign against the ultras.

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"Terrorism and naxalism increased under the rule of the Congress," Singh told reporters in Raipur.

Strongly defending the decision of the BJP government in the state to continue 'Salwa Judum' or peace campaign against the naxalites, he said "anyone opposing Salwa Judum are indirectly supporting the Maoists".

After visiting Errabore relief camp with Chief Minister Raman Singh this morning, where on July 17 the naxalites had killed 31 villagers and injured 80, Singh said 17 per cent of the country's population was affected by the naxal menace.

Hence, the Centre should immediately call a meeting of the Chief Ministers of naxal-affected states and draft a joint action plan to combat the menace, he said.

Advocating strong action against naxalites, he said the Centre was discriminating against BJP-ruled states as Chhattisgarh had sought 15 battalions of Central forces to combat the menace but was provided only five battalions.

Singh also dismissed the demand for resignation of Chief Minister Raman Singh on the Errabore issue asking "Has Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh or Prime Minister Manmohan Singh resigned for Mumbai blasts?"