No one from Government should support Maoists, says Chidambaram

New Delhi, Aug 11 (ANI): A day after the Opposition attacked the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government over Railway Minister and Trinamool Chief Mamata Banerjee's pro-Maoist remarks at a rally in Lalgarh, West Bengal, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday said the Government would certainly not encourage anyone to support the Maoists.

On being asked in the Parliament if the Government would take action against those who appreciate the anti-democratic movement in the Naxal areas and pay tribute to the harbingers of Naxalism, Chidambaram said: "To a question that is framed in such a general manner, the answer can also be in a general manner. No-one should support the Maoists and the government would certainly not encourage anyone to support the Maoists."

Earlier on Tuesday, the proceedings in both houses of Parliament were disrupted after the Opposition sought a clarification of Banerjee's pro-Maoist remarks.

Addressing a public rally in Lalgarh on Monday, Mamata Banerjee said the way Maoist leader Cherukuri Rajkumar, alias Azad was killed was not right and asked for a probe into his death.

"I feel the way Azad was killed is not correct. Swami Agnivesh had made him agree to hold talks (with the government). What happened was not correct. I feel the process (for holding talks with the Maoists) should start," she added.

Azad was killed by Andhra Pradesh Police in the Jogapur forest area at Adilabad District on July 2. (ANI)