Martyrs issue: Cong demands apology from C'garh CM

Congress today demanded an apology from Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh over the state police demanding back Rs 10,000, it had spent on performing the last rites of a Special Police Officer, felled in an encounter with Naxals, from his family.
"The CM should apologise to the public and the Prime Minister should also come out and make a statement on this issue. This is such a shocking incident and we condemn this and we want the PM to apologise on this issue," party spokesperson P C Chacko told reporters at the AICC briefing.
"In Chhattisgarh, few months back, boots and blood soaked clothes were found in the dust bins and pictures of dogs eating them were there. When the martyrs who fought in such difficult situations against terrorists got killed, their bodies were carried in the garbage van.

"That was also reported. Now it has come to the notice that a jawan's family - a brother of a jawan killed was given a notice by the Chhattisgarh police department that Rs 10,000 which was provided to him towards funeral expenditure should be returned immediately," he said.
Chacko rued that jawans who are fighting for the integrity of the country in difficult situations are being treated like this.
"This is not a one time or two time happening. Chhattisgarh government has become a serial offender. The most shocking thing is that the Police department has sent a notice to family of a martyr to return Rs 10,000 provided for his funeral expenses.

"This kind of callous, indifferent, inhuman decision has been taken by the Chhattisgarh government headed by Raman Singh," the Congress spokesperson said.
Chhattisgarh police was in the dock today for demanding back Rs 10,000 it had spent on performing the last rites of a Special Police Officer, felled in an encounter with Naxals, from his family, in a shocking case of insensitivity which triggered outrage.
Kishore Pandey, a SPO, was killed in a naxal attack in May 2011 and sum of Rs 10,000 was then spent on performing his last rites from the police welfare fund.