The BJP on Friday demanded the Army’s role to fight the Maoists menace.
“Unlike the UPA government, there is no dilemma among the BJP’s central leadership on use of the Army against Naxals,” Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Sushma Swaraj, told reporters here.
Ms Swaraj said the BJP favours deployment of the Army in Maoist-infested areas in the country and would also put pressure on the UPA government to concede with the party’s demand.
Ms Swaraj said that the Central government should get out of its dilemma on the question of Army deployment as Maoist menace needed to be addressed with all its seriousness to stop massacre of hundreds of innocent people and security personnel.
She alleged that the UPA government was totally confused over steps needed to be taken against Naxalites.
On the demand for extradition of former Union Carbide Corporation (UCC) chairman Warren Anderson in connection with the Bhopal gas tragedy case, Ms Swaraj said, “We will raise these issues, including that of price rise, on the opening day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament beginning July 26.”
Chief minister Raman Singh, who was also present at the press conference, said he, too, favoured deployment of the Army to combat Naxalism in Chhattisgarh.
“However, it is up to the Central government to decide whether to deploy the Army fully or partially after an expert committee comprising defence personnel gives its report to the government,” he said.
Ms Swaraj, who arrived here to participate in a rally as part of the BJP’s nation-wide demonstration programme against price rise, criticised the Centre’s decision to hike the price of kerosene, petrol, diesel and LPG.
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Cong asks for Raman resignation
AGE CORRESPONDENT
NEW DELHI
July 2: The Congress on Friday demanded the resignation of Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh in the wake of the Narayanpur attack on CRPF personnel by Maoists. This issue has set the tone of the upcoming Mansoon Session of Parliament, beginning in the last week of July. The main Oppostion BJP has been defensive on the issue of the Maoists attacks in the state.
“Raman Singh should resign owning moral responsibility for the killing of CRPF personnel and innocent people by Nasals,” AICC general secretary and in-charge of the state V. Narayanasamy told reporters here. He said Naxalism had spread in 11 districts during the BJP regime in the state and there was no threat from the ultras when the Congress, under the leadership of Mr Ajit Jogi, was in power. The party general secretary also criticised DGP Vishwa Ranjan for the situation. He said the job of the Central government was to give logistic support and utilisation of the Central forces was the job of the state government. He also rubbished the BJP’s charge that the Congress and the Central government were speaking different languages.