Raipur: Tackling Naxalism is a divisive issue for the UPA government. Days after union home minister P Chidambaram defended the joint operations by CRPF operations and the Chhattisgarh police in Basaguda, Tribal Affairs Minister Kishore Chandra Deo told NDTV, "no matter what the circumstances, forces cannot resort to indiscriminate firing."
In an exclusive interview to NDTV, Mr Deo said "using innocent tribals as human shields by Maoists is unpardonable and is a sin. But that's no excuse for the forces to shoot innocent tribals including women and children. These issues should be dealt with discretely."
The CRPF director General Vijay Kumar, however, defended his men and pointed out that there was retaliatory fire injuring his jawans. Such claims were also backed by the Union Home Minister and the Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh, who accused the Maoists of using villagers as human shields.
The BJP-ruled Chhattisgarh government is keen to showcase their development work in the Naxal affected regions and even got the students to meet with the Prime Minister. Unimpressed by such moves, Mr Deo told NDTV that the Chhattisgarh government had a notorious track record as it encouraged private militia like salwa judum to counter the armed Maoists.
In an exclusive interview to NDTV, Mr Deo said "using innocent tribals as human shields by Maoists is unpardonable and is a sin. But that's no excuse for the forces to shoot innocent tribals including women and children. These issues should be dealt with discretely."
The CRPF director General Vijay Kumar, however, defended his men and pointed out that there was retaliatory fire injuring his jawans. Such claims were also backed by the Union Home Minister and the Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh, who accused the Maoists of using villagers as human shields.
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The BJP-ruled Chhattisgarh government is keen to showcase their development work in the Naxal affected regions and even got the students to meet with the Prime Minister. Unimpressed by such moves, Mr Deo told NDTV that the Chhattisgarh government had a notorious track record as it encouraged private militia like salwa judum to counter the armed Maoists.
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