Digvijay Singh regrets remark on PC's Naxal policy

Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh has expressed regret for questioning Union Home Minister P Chidambaram's policy of dealing with Maoists. HT reports.

Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh has expressed regret for questioning Union Home Minister P Chidambaram's policy of dealing with Maoists.

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"Unfortunately, the government and the party had to face embarrassment and I regret that," Singh told mediapersons at the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee headquarters here on Thursday.

Singh had written in an article published in a newspaper on April 14 that he was a victim of Chidambaram's "intellectual arrogance" when it came to discussing matters relating to the Centre's policy no Maoists.

Singh had written: "I have known P Chidambaram since 1985 when both of us were elected to Parliament. He is extremely intelligent, articulate, committed and a sincere politician -- but extremely rigid once he makes up his mind. I have been a victim of his intellectual arrogance many times, but we are still good friends."

Singh said the media picked up only certain points from his article that focused on the Maoist problem. He said there were different views as far as the Naxalite issue was concerned and the matter has been debated in Parliament.

Singh's article was published nine days after Maoists carried out an attack in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district on April 6, killing 76 securitymen.