BJP working on formula to tackle Maoism: Parrikar

PANAJI - The Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) is working on a formula to tackle Maoism by empowering tribals, former Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar said Monday.

Parrikar, convener of BJP’s newly formed governance cell, told IANS that police action alone was no answer to Maoist insurgency plaguing the country’s backward regions.

“Tribals should be allowed to be the kings of their own destiny with back-up but without interference,” he said.

“We will approach the issue (Maoism) through social engineering. That means you ensure that those people who have not been getting the benefit of development are provided their rightful share,” Parrikar said.

The BJP leader’s position is a departure from the party’s aggressive posturing on Maoist violence in parliament.

“They (tribals) are not making any special demand. The problem is they don’t even get their rightful share. If we manage to ensure they get their rightful share, why would they put their life at stake?” Parrikar said.

The governance cell has been formed to ensure effective implementation of people-friendly policies and trigger a healthy synergy between BJP-ruled states.

Parrikar said that police action was a temporary solution for a particular area and did not address the Maoist issue in the long run.

“I am not against police action. But I believe that before police action you should provide proper facilities to the people,” he said.

The April 6 massacre of 76 security personnel in Chhattisgarh by Maoists has sparked a nationwide debate on ways and means to handle the insurgency that has gripped parts of India.