Other States - Chattisgarh   

Ajit Jogi sees RSS hand in campaign against Naxalites

`We have to generate awareness... But the drive must be based on Gandhian principles'

Raipur: Senior Congress leader and former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi said today that there were strong indications that the RSS was actively participating in Salwa Judum -- the ongoing anti-naxal campaign in the State's tribal Bastar region.

``Can secular forces, chiefly the Congress, associate with any movement motivated by an organisation such as the RSS?'' he asked while talking to reporters at his residence. While the State government maintained that Salwa Judum was a spontaneous public reaction against a three decade-old menace, Mr. Jogi drew attention towards Chief Minister Raman Singh's reported statement indicating that the RSS was behind the drive.

Reiterating that he was not against the campaign, he said even before Dr Singh's statement he was suspecting RSS involvement and the organisation was apparently using it to strengthen its base in Bastar. So far, only the Congress and communist parties had a ``strong base'' in Bastar. ``We have to generate awareness among the masses against the menace. But the drive must be based on Gandhian principles,'' Mr Jogi said while reiterating his demand for adequate security to all those participating in the campaign.

After Salwa Judum began nearly three months ago, the Congress leader alleged that the rebels targeted several innocent adivasis for participating in the campaign.

When his attention was drawn to Congressman and Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, Mahendra Karma's, statement that the tribals laid down their lives for uprooting the extremist movement, Mr. Jogi agreed that the adivasis made the supreme sacrifice.

Responding to a question, Mr Jogi said that while tackling the law and order situation, there was a need to accelerate socio-economic development of naxal areas. --UNI

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Ajit Jogi sees RSS hand in campaign against Naxalites

Copyright © 2005, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu