In a strong rebuttal to charges by human rights activists and Opposition Congress that majority of those killed in the Friday’s operation by forces in Basaguda forest in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district were civilians, state home minister Nankiram Kanwar on Saturday said, “Whoever supports or aids Naxals is a Maoist”.
“All the 17 people killed in Basaguda encounter were Naxals. How can you call anyone a civilian when he is found in the company of Maoists? I call upon the tribals not to give any kind of cooperation to the Left-wing extremists and those who support or aid the ultras in any manner may also get killed during encounters,” Mr Kanwar told reporters here while reacting to criticism of Friday’s operation by forces, considered the biggest offensive against ultras in Chhattisgarh in 2012, by the rights activists.
Intelligence officials in New Delhi threw the blame at the Andhra top brass of the Maoists for “pushing’’ the jan miltia, including tribal cadres, in the forefront during encounters with police personnel.