Cong attacks Nitish govt over spike in Naxal violence, crimes

Urging the Bihar governor to intervene, Congress today attacked the Nitish Kumar government for the alleged rise in Maoist violence and deterioration of law and order in the state.

"Bihar has seen a huge increase in crimes and a steady deterioration in the law and order over the last one year or so," state Congress president Ashok Chaudhary said in a letter to Governor D Y Patil. "The state government has displayed increasing incompetence in dealing with these issues of violence - whether it is Naxalism or crime against women, caste violence or even terror attack - Bihar has been at the forefront," he said in the letter.

The criticism indicates Congress' disappointment with the JD(U) government of Nitish Kumar, which it had bailed out in the confidence vote on June 19 after the split in NDA. In the successive days too many instances of exchange of warmth between Congress and Nitish Kumar indicated their coming close for 2014 polls.

The PCC chief said there has been a big increase in Naxal violence in 2012-13.

"The recent Naxal violence in Aurangabad (in which eight policemen were killed on Tuesday) and in Jamalpur (on November 30 in which three policemen were killed) are just the latest in a series of Naxal attacks where every month or so the state has been affected by Naxal violence killing a large number of people," the letter said.

Bihar has witnessed around 150 incidents of Maoist violence since January this year compared to 130 reported last year, showing a 41 per cent rise.

Altogether 60 people, including 16 policemen have been killed this year compared to last year's 25, Chaudhary said.

Quoting a Central intelligence committee report recently submitted to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, he blamed the state government of 'slack' approach in dealing with Maoist activities.

"While there has been decline in Maoists violence in other states, Bihar has seen a spike," he added.