Army not a solution to Maoist menace: Ajit Jogi
By IANSTuesday, July 27, 2010
RAIPUR J - Congress leader Ajit Jogi Tuesday that using the army was not the solution to rising Maoist militancy in Chhattisgarh.
“Army is not the solution…this is the force principally meant to take on foreign enemies not enemies drawn from our country,” Jogi, Chhattisgarh’s first chief minister, said in the state assembly.
Jogi was participating in a daylong debate on an adjournment motion moved by his party against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government for allegedly failing to check the rising Maoist attacks.
He said that “as long as the BJP is in power in Chhattisgarh, Naxalism can’t be finished”.
Criticising the state government for supporting civil militia movement Salwa Judum, Jogi said: “The movement destroyed tribal culture and displaced thousands of poor tribals. It also became a hub of corruption.”
He also said that the Maoists had a list of all leaders associated with the Salwa Judum whom they would target.
Jogi said there were three ways to end Left wing extremism - “improving law and order”, starting a “political process” like initiating a dialogue, and winning over local people and addressing the “socio-economic problems of the (Maoist) infested areas”.
