South CG most naxal-affected region in India: Ramesh

Says govt non-existent in about 5000 sq km in Bastar

Asks Chhattisgarh govt to adopt AP policy to wipe Maoists

Raipur, June 25, 2013

Union rural development minister Jairam Ramesh said south Chhattisgarh was the most naxal-affected region in the country. “There are 80 naxal-hit districts in the country. I found Chhattisgarh’s Sukma, Dantewada, Bijapur, Kanker, Narayanpur, Jagdalpur and Maharashtra’s Garhchirouli as most affected districts by Maoists,” he said while talking to newsmen at Congress Bhawan on Tuesday. He was accompanied by union minister of state for parliamentary affairs V Narayanasamy, Chhattisgarh Congress incharge BK Hariprasada, acting PCC chief Charandas Mahant, CLP leader Ravindra Choubey and party MLA Ajit Jogi. 

“The government is non-existent in about 5000 km in Bastar. The Maoists have declared this area as liberal zone,” he said.

“In Narayanpur, only Ramkrishna Mission is carrying out development works, the government is missing. Again in Bijapur, two foreign organisations are providing health services to the people, not the government,” he said.

“It was similar condition in other naxal-hit states too but the respective governments freed the liberal zones from the extremists,” he pointed.

“While Central forces will always provide requisite help to the state government, the primary responsibility lies with local police that are expected to ensure public security,” he said.

Alleging that the government had not appointed adequate police personnel and forest guards in naxal-hit districts he pointed that Sukma district required 3000 cops but had only 1200. 

He asked Chhattisgarh government to adopt Andhra Pradesh (AP) government’s policy to deal naxals. “It was blend of development, security and politics that helped AP to eradicate the extremists,” he said.

Terming May 25-incident as political conspiracy he said the state Congress was campaigning aggressively under its parivartan yatra and received excellent response from the people. 

“The Congress had created such an atmosphere through yatra that it was sure to win public mandate in upcoming polls, but many organisations and ideologies cannot want it to regain power,” he said.

“However, the Congress will continue its parivartan yatra and win Vidhan Sabha elections,” he said.

Many politicians, contractors linked to naxals

Ramesh claimed that several contractors and politicians were linked to naxals in Bastar. “I had recommended the state government to blacklist one such contractor Sanjay Agrawal but nothing happened. I also wrote letter to the CM in this regard thrice. The matter was also raised by our party in the state assembly,” he said. He further said that the contractors were also involved in extortion cases.

Naxals do not believe in democracy

Ramesh said the Maoists did not believe in democracy and therefore had adopted violent route to establish their power. “The naxals will become weak if they would follow democracy,” he said. To a question he said the Centre was ready for talks with naxals.

BJP Govt always ignored security of Congmen: Narayanasamy

Narayanasamy said the BJP government had always ignored security of the Congress leaders. “I extensively toured Bastar when I was incharge of Chhattisgarh Congress but the BJP government did not provide us security. It is apathetic towards security of Conmen even now therefore May 25 incident occurred,” he said.

He said the union home minister too told chief minister Raman Singh that the Congmen were not getting requisite security after Darbha incident. 

“The Centre provided full help to the state government in terms of financial package, forces and weapons to deal naxal issues but the latter failed restore peace in the tribal region,” he added. 

He said it was government’s responsibility to ensure security of members of all political parties during their campaigns or events in naxal-affected areas. 

He further informed that he and Ramesh distributed cheques to the families of the people who lost their lives on May 25 incident at Jagdalpur and Raipur on Tuesday. He said Rs five lakh each was given to families of 26 deceased and Rs 50000 each to families of injured.

CM politicising Central compensation to families of deceased

Sharply reacting to CM’s remark that the union ministers insulted families of naxal victims by inviting them to collect cheques and should have rather handed the cheques at their residences, Narayanasamy said the CM was actually politicising the matter and did not want to the positive gesture shown by the Centre.