Naxal attack a challenge to democratic system: Congress

NEW DELHI: The Maoist attack at Dantewada saw the two main political parties – the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party – in a role reversal of sorts.

While the Congress wondered whether a political solution was not the better option, the BJP said the attack was nothing short of a declaration of war against the nation and must be dealt with as such.

Congress media in-charge Janardan Dwivedi said: “Whatever happened is most inhuman, condemnable and an attack on India's civil society … it is a challenge to our democratic system. All State governments must tackle the problem with all the seriousness it deserves and cooperate with the Centre.”

However, privately, senior Congressmen felt that Home Minister P. Chidambaram had unnecessarily used provocative language like “we will wipe them out” when talking about Naxals. It was pointed out that the Congress Working Committee resolution on the subject speaks of a political solution as also an option. One leader said terrorism and Naxalism could not be dealt alike. Negotiation was an option in dealing with Naxals and one cannot forget that they enjoyed some support from people.

The BJP, on the other hand, made it clear it stood solidly with the Home Minister and the State governments fighting Naxalism. It was a war which “we must fight to the finish,” party spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy said, echoing what the Home Minister has been saying.