Bharatiya Janata Party leader Venkaiah Naidu on Friday criticised the Centre for the absence of any “specific policy” to tackle the Maoist menace plaguing several States.
Mr. Naidu also took a dig at the lack of uniformity in the statements made by different Ministers on the Maoist issue as well as the difference in opinion on the issue in the Congress leadership itself.
Speaking at the inaugural function of the party's State training camp here, he said: “What is the Centre's specific policy on Maoists? Offering condolence for those killed in Maoist violence and paying compensation to their family members cannot be seen as a policy.”
Pointing to the statements by Railway Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee at the Lalgarh rally on August 9 about the Maoists and the Congress calling them ‘personal views' of the Minister, Mr. Naidu said any personal view of a Cabinet Minister should be discussed during a Cabinet meeting and not at a rally.
“Such actions send wrong signals to people. There is disagreement even on this issue in the Congress with Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram saying something and senior leader Digvijay Singh countering Mr. Chidambaram,” he said.
