New Delhi:
The Supreme Court on Monday came down heavily on the Centre and the Chhattisgarh government for bandying the Naxal bogey about every time there's a killing in the Naxal-affected zone.
The court was hearing a petition asking for a CBI probe into the killing of villagers in Dantewada allegedly by security forces. When the government said the petitioner was a Naxal sympathiser the court said, "What do you mean by sympathisers? Why so much innuendo? Is this the way to deal with it?"
Countering the government's arguments, the court said, "The petitioners are not advocating the cause of Naxals. Don't the petitioners have fundamental rights or human rights? Don't keep bringing this Naxals issue."
All 12 witnesses to the killings had disappeared after the petition was first moved. On the court's order, the state government produced six witnesses; the Chhattisgarh government told the court three more have been found.