Bhushan draws flak again, wants refernedum in Naxal-hit areas

After stoking controversy with his remarks on Kashmir, Aam Aadmi Party leader Prashant Bhushan today drew flak from BJP for reportedly saying that there should be a referendum for deployment of security forces against Maoists in the affected areas.
Bhushan, whose demand for a referendum on deployment of security forces in Kashmir had raised hackles with his party AAP also distancing itself from it, yesterday called for a vote on the issue of deploying central paramilitary forces in Naxal-infested areas.
BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman said the efforts of the Centre, which is trying to tackle the issue with the help of state governments, will be negated by such statements and security forces will be demoralised.

The party asked the AAP leadership and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to make clear their stand on the issue.
"The BJP is astonished at the way Prashant Bhushan is speaking out on issues which have serious implications on national security. Only yesterday he has talked about referendum for deploying central forces in Naxal-infested areas. BJP condemns such kind of periodic statements which have a direct relation on internal security," she said.
She said when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has himself termed Naxals an the most serious threat to India's internal security, such statements are not good for the nation.

"None of us have any business to demoralise the security forces who are tackling the Moists and Naxals waging a war against the Indian government."

The BJP leader said AAP leaders should spell out the party's stand on the issue clearly as they were only confusing the situation.
"The ideologue of AAP, the leadership of AAP and the Chief Minister of Delhi should come out with their views clearly on the issue," she said.
"Such statements reduces the morale of the forces and the fight against Maoists and Naxalism is weakened by such statements," Sitharaman said.