Raipur:
In an exclusive interview to NDTV, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh admitted that there were security lapses that allowed Naxals to execute the attack that left 24 people, including top Congress leaders, dead on Saturday.
Following are the highlights of his interview:- The attack by Naxals is condemnable and very shameful
- We are all very upset and angry. People are angry in this country
- Mahendra Karma was a very experienced leader. We all went to him for any issue any help regarding the Naxals
- He was attacked earlier too but he was very brave
- The area where the attack took place is very dangerous. It is a Maoist area
- I also don't go there unless I am in a chopper
- Why the security was not in place needs to be probed
- We will punish the officials who are responsible
- All the leaders in the rally were aware somewhere or the other about the dangers of that area
- The route was very sensitive. A lot of Naxal movement takes place there
- Because there were a lot of leaders in the rally it became a soft target for the Naxals
- I was also travelling in another part of the state so you can't ever tell where they will strike
- The Naxals are always looking for an opportunity like this to attack
- It needs to be probed if all the norms of Standard Operating Procedures were followed. We need to find out
- We admit that there were lapses in security. I cannot pinpoint at this point whose fault it was
- We need to look forward and see how we can get out of this problem. Cannot play a blame game now
- The Naxals have attacked sarpanches, leaders whether from Congress or BJP. The Naxals are against development in the state and anyone who tries to bring any development in the state, the Naxals attack them
- The PM and Sonia Gandhi also said that now it is important to work together and end this constant violence in the state and in the country. The ones responsible are the Naxals and they must be caught and punished
- The Home Minister is abroad but I have spoken to him on the phone. We are trying to come up with a solution to move forward. The central government asked me what is needed in the state. We need more manpower to tackle the Naxal issue
- The probe will be done completely independent. We will support the agency as much as required. There is no other way left. The PM also feels that Naxals are the biggest threat or hindrance in democracy
- I don't think that we need the army in the Naxal areas. It is not a battleground. We need to take people together towards development
- The people of Chhattisgarh will support the party or the leaders who are seen tackling the Naxal issue in the next elections. People in the state are upset and troubled