TRINAMOOL CONGRESS OPENLY HOBNOBS WITH MAOISTS FOR ELECTORAL GAINS - BJP

EXTRACT FROM RESOLUTION ON THE EXPANSION OF MAOIST ACTIVITIES PASSED IN BJP NATIONAL EXECUTIVE MEETING AT PATNA (BIHAR) ON 12-06-2010 and 13-06-2010.

“The UPA-I was a wasted opportunity in the battle against Maoists. The Home Ministry, under UPA-I, failed to realize the enormity of the problem and the possible solutions, and responses to it. The Home Ministry under UPA-II initially showed signs of understanding the extent and enormity of the Maoist problem, but the entire national impetus being built up has been lost on account of the politics of the UPA and the Congress itself. During the UPA-I, the Congress had political adjustments with the Maoists in Andhra Pradesh and Jharkhand where electoral conveniences guided it accordingly. When states like Chhattisgarh started innovative programmes to tackle the Maoist menace, the Congress was opposed to it. During the UPA-II there were initial signs of coordination, building up between the states and the Centre. The national mood was strongly in favour of a coordinated strategy against the Maoists. Despite several setbacks, the national Opposition was in a mood to fully stand by the government against indiscriminate Maoist violence. However, differences within the UPA have started crippling the Central government’s approach towards the Maoists.

The Congress leaders started openly questioning the approach of the Home Ministry and the government of India. In West Bengal, an UPA ally, the Trinamool Congress, openly started hobnobbing with the Maoists because of electoral and vote bank consideration. Differences in the Cabinet spilled over into the public. The Home Ministry wanted an ‘expanded mandate’ to fight the Maoists. The Cabinet was willing to give only a ‘limited mandate’. The Home Ministry favoured the use of air-power for surveillance; the Defence Minister was not cooperative.”