Catch 22

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh is in a bind. He has been urging the opposition members in the state to cooperate with the government in its fight against the Naxalites. But the cooperation sought by the main opposition party has put Singh in a fix. After the Sukma massacre that saw 31 security personnel and civilians killed in a Naxal blast, Congress members wanted to visit the place for an inquiry of their own. Since the area is dotted with landmines, the opposition party had demanded a chopper from the government to fly to Sukma. Poor Singh — if he doesn’t provide a chopper he’s in trouble; if he does, the report will only castigate his government.