Maintain bipartisan approach on Maoism: Chidambaram tells BJP

New Delhi, May 18 (PTI) Home Minister of India P
Chidambaram Tuesday appealed to all political parties,
especially the Bhartiya Janta Party, to maintain a bipartisan
approach in dealing with Maoists and said it is the state
governments which have the primary responsibility to tackle
the menace.
"I would urge BJP and other political parties to continue
to maintain as far as possible a bipartisan spirit and
approach to dealing with this challenge to India's security,"
he told reporters here.
Chidambaram was reacting to BJP leader Arun Jaitley's
statement that he looked like an "injured martyr" and was
given a "limited mandate" in taking tougher action against
Naxals.
"I believe he (Jaitely) said that I look like an injured
martyr. I think it was an unfortunate choice of words. If he
had reflected for a moment, he would not have used those
words. The injured and the martyrs are both in Chhattisgarh
among the jawans and the Special Police Officers who were
injured and died," Chidambaram said.
The Home Minister said as far as the mandate of central
government was concerned, he had already explained it and its
mandate was to help the state governments take to meet the
challenge of Naxalites by providing paramilitary forces,
intelligence and tactical assistance.
"It is the state governments which have the primary
responsibility to tackle the menace of Naxalism. It is in that
sense that I said that our mandate is a limited mandate. But
if you play upon words like limited mandate, I could turn
around and say that it is the state governments and the Chief
Ministers who have an unlimited mandate," he said.
Chidambaram said the Chief Minister is the head of the
state government and he can undertake whatever steps he wishes
to undertake to meet the challenge of Naxals.
"The debate in Parliament and outside so far has been
bipartisan. There is a broad agreement on how we should deal
with Naxals.
"In a robust democracy, there will be some differenece in
the manner in which each one articulates his or her view. But
I would urge BJP and other political parties to continue to
maintain as far as possible a bipartisan spirit and approach
to dealing with this challenge....," he said. PTI ACB
KAB


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