Opposition backs govt on fight against Maoists

New Delhi, Apr 15 (PTI) Major opposition parties
Thursday came out in Indian Parliament giving full backing to
the government in the anti-Maoist fight but attacked the
"severe division" in the Congress party and the treasury
benches it felt would hamper the offensive.

The opposition support for the government came in both
Houses of Parliament which held a special discussion on the
opening day of the second phase of the Budget session against
the backdrop of the massacre of 75 Central Reserve Police
Force personnel by Maoists in Dantewada last week.
Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh's criticism of
the Home Minister P Chidambaram that he was treating the
Maoists issue as a mere law and order problem and accusing him
of "intellectual arrogance" was exploited by the opposition
to needle the government.
Leading the attack in the Upper House Rajya Sabha on the
government, Leader of Opposition Arun Jaitley said
Chidamabaram's task has been made difficult by senior Congress
leaders like Singh.
"We do not need a divided government", Jaitley said
adding, "What we don't need is a government which tries to
pull down its Home Minister."
Jaitley told Chidambaram not not to behave like an
"injured martyr" but provide leadership in the fight against
Naxalites.
Replying to the discussion in the Lower House Lok Sabha,
Chidambaram said the menace of Naxalites (Maoists) should be
faced squarely while development of the backward areas should
be done simultaneously.
"The Dantewada tragedy must make us more determined,
more resolute and more careful in the fight. But we should
also be more compassionate towards the poor and towards
development," he said.
. He said he does not not fear the Naxalites and would
continue to provide leadership for the Home Ministry and the
para-military forces in the fight against Naxals.
"I have no no fear of Naxals. I don't fear the Naxals.
I felt when a horrible tragedy took place I should own moral
responsibility as a Minister. Therefore I tendered my
resignation," he said adding Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and
United Progressive Alliance Chairperson Sonia Gandhi rejected
the resignation.
"I believe they have reposed their confidence in me. I
will continue to provide leadership of the Ministry of Home
Affairs and para-military forces in the fight against Naxal
operations," he said to the thumping of desks by the ruling
benches.

Without directly referring to the criticism by Congress
and alliance leaders of his approach, Chidambaram said there
is difference of opinion even among the opposition leaders.
"What Yashwant Sinha says is different from what
Mulayam Singh Yadav says. What Sharad Yadav says is different
from what Tataghat Satpathi says," he said.
Agreeing with the Home Minister that the country needs
a strong mind, a strong heart and staying power to fight the
Maoists, Jaitley said "what you (Chidambaram) have said is
true. But a divided government, a divided UPA and a divided
Congress party have become a liability in the fight against
Maoism".
"Look at the paradox. We, opposition, could have
attacked the government but we chose to stand shoulder-to-
shoulder with the government.
"We refrained from asking for home Minister's
resignation, because we do not want Maoists to rejoice. The
whole opposition and the nation want the battle against
Maoists to succeed. Unfortunately the government, the UPA and
the Congress party is divided," he said.
The BJP leader said that "some have ideologically
gheraoed him (Chidambaram). When the security forces want air
force, another department of the government denies it. Did the
Home Minister behave like injured martyr because of this? he
asked.
The Home Minister will have to eventually decide
where he stands in this conflict. "Does he stand for a fight
to finish against Maoists? Does he stand with the nation or he
succumbs to party's discipline and gives up the fight. It is
the Congress party which is becoming a liability in this
battle against Maoism," he said.
Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Sitaram
Yechury took potshots at Trinamool Congress leader and Railway
Minister Mamata Banerjee expressing open differences with the
government's apporach in violation of the principle of
collective responsibility.
Yechury said Banerjee had not not attended any of the
28 all party meetings convened to discuss the Maoist issue.
He wondered how a minister of the Centre could demand the
arrest of a Chief Minister (of West Bengal).