Naxals don't respect press, democracy: Ahir

Union Minister Hansraj Ahir on Friday said Naxals do not believe in press or democracy and dubbed "urban Naxals" as "traitors" and "brainless".

He was speaking about a statement purportedly issued earlier in the day by the proscribed CPI (Maoist) outfit, claiming responsibility for the October 30 attack in Chhattisgarh. Two police personnel and a Doordarshan cameraman were killed in the attack in the poll-bound state.

The statement claimed that it was "sad" that a Doordarshan team was caught in the ambush, resulting in the death of cameraman Achyutanand Sahu.

Police are yet to verify the authenticity of the two-page statement issued in the name of Sainath, "secretary of the Darbha division committee" of Maoists.

"They might have issued the statement out of fear but it is a fact that these people (Naxals) do not believe in press and democracy. We believe that the Constitution is the holy book for us but these Maoists disrespect it," Ahir said.

"Democracy is in our blood and if we want to safeguard it, we together have to put an end to Naxalism," the Union minister of state for Home Affairs added.

Ahir also criticised "urban Naxals" -- a term coined for city-based sympathisers of underground Naxal outfits.

"There are some traitors who do not want democracy in the country. These people call themselves intellectuals, but for me, they are brainless," Ahir said.

He said the Naxal movement would soon be crushed by the people of the country.