Advocating a hard-line approach against Maoists who are out to destroy democracy through violence, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday came down heavily on Congress president Sonia Gandhi and party general secretary Digvijay Singh for advocating a soft line towards the rebels and asked the prime minister to take a final call on the strategy.
The "non-government" UPA leaders like Sonia Gandhi and Digvijay Singh are accountable only to their party and the BJP wants the last word from the prime minister who is accountable to parliament and the nation, BJP leader and Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Arun Jaitley told a press conference here.
Asked about Digvijay Singh appealing to the Maoists to come into the mainstream and participate in the democratic process, Jaitley quipped that nobody will have objection if he succeeds but the fact is that they are indulging in violence and abhor democratic practices.
He asked Manmohan Singh to stand up and make the government's stand clear on the fight against the rebels as otherwise the debate on first development of the Maoists-infested areas or security measures weakens the fight. What development can take place until the government restores law and order in these areas to allow the civil administration to function, he asked.
He said: "The time has come for the prime minister to end this debate (between the hard and soft approaches)” and declare an all-out war and desist from any steps that weaken this war. He said there are no two opinions on development of the backward areas and the multi-pronged approach but “even for developmental activities you must be able to enter that area and re-establish civilian rule.”
Asked if the BJP favours the use of military might against the Maoists, Jaitley said it will go by the decision of the security agencies on use of military for air surveillance or any other purpose.
Stressing that no steps be taken that weaken the war against Maoists who have increasing influence in many areas in many states, Jaitley stressed that "half battle" cannot succeed as seen from India's Home Minister P Chidambaram posing himself as weak and crippled after the Maoists killed 35 people by blowing up a bus in Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh Monday evening.
Jaitley said Chidambaram looked like an "injured martyr" when he told NDTV Monday night that he had a "limited mandate" as that amounts to saying that the security apparatus has to fight the Maoists with one hand tied.
Asked if the BJP government in Chhattisgarh should not be held responsible for the series of massacres in the state, Jaitley shot back saying that the issue is not limited to a law-and-order problem for which the state is responsible, as a consensus from day one has been that it is an issue of the sovereignty of the country that is under attack and requires both the centre and states to fight it.
He said there is a larger national consensus backed by all major opposition parties to go all out against the Maoists to fail their design of establishing an ideological dictatorship in the country but that resolve is weakened by the internal squabbles within the ruling party, treating the Maoists as misguided ideologists.
