The Congress on Friday said Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram's offer to resign in the wake of the Maoist attack in Dantewada, was appreciable.
“If the Home Minister wrote to the Prime Minister offering to resign owning moral responsibility for the naxal attack on the Central Reserve Police Force men at Dantewada, it is appreciable and commendable,” party spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi told journalists here. He said the offer had been turned down by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and need not be commented upon any further.
Mr. Singhvi, however, clarified that the party did not see any logic behind insisting that the Chhattisgarh government also take responsibility for the attack. “The aim is to fight collectively.”
Describing the incident as an affront to the human rights of the people, Mr. Singhvi said Maoists were a scourge on a vibrant democracy. He said the government had the legitimate right to deploy force to resist, apprehend and eliminate — if need be — the militants who attack the roots of democracy.
Mr. Singhvi said the Centre would always assist the States in anti-naxal operations to liberate the areas under their domination and restore civil administration in every aspect to accelerate development process.
“Those who believe in the Indian Constitution must abjure violence. Once this is done, everything else is possible,” he said, when asked whether the option of negotiations with the naxals was still open.
The spokesperson said the security forces had shown great courage in tackling Maoists. “They have seen successes and some reverses as well. But we believe we shall overcome. While our objective is laudable and clear, all those who believe in the Constitution must condemn this dastardly act and speak against this. These people do not deserve any sympathy.”
Left-wing extremism had gone up ever since several organisations came together under the banner of the Communist Party of India (Maoists), he said. “Their aim is to spread to different parts of India and liberate more and more areas.”
