Cong to back govt in combative policies

A confused Congress will continue to back its government on the combative counter-Naxal policies, even as the outlawed Naxals claimed 76 lives in Dantewada, Chhattisgarh, on Tuesday. Although voices have started rising inside the party on the UPA government’s aggressive operations against the Naxals, the top leadership believes there is no other alternative but to carry on the counter-offensives, as the rebels have shown no sign to sit for talks, shunning violence.

Expressing shock at the “outrageous” incident at Dantewada, the Congress termed the massacre as a challenge against the Constitutional democracy of the country. “We have to take up this challenge and wipe out the Naxalite menace,” party spokesperson Jayanthi Natarajan said today.

The party said it fully backs the government’s strategy and asked for better coordination between the states and the Centre. “The Centre and the states should come together on this issue. The Prime Minister and the Home Minister have taken cognizance of the latest situation and they will definitely take steps to prevent future Naxal attacks”, Natarajan added.

But, while Natarjan also said that “all forces should be used”, the party leadership is clearly not in favour of deploying the armed forces or the Indian Air Force in the Naxal theatre. “You can’t use airpower or army against the Naxals. It’s not possible,” said a leader considered close to party president Sonia Gandhi.