Bastar tribals consider Maoists lesser evil, says Jogi

Raipur, June 4 (UNI) Senior Congress leader and former Chhattisgarh chief minister Ajit Jogi today said the situation in Bastar region has become so bad that the local tribals have begun to consider Naxalites as the lesser evil.

Talking to newsmen at his residence here, he said innocent tribals ''were sandwiched'' between the Police, Maoists and the anti-naxalite campaigners. The situation has gone out of control, forcing the locals to think it was better to extend their support to the Maoists.

Mr Jogi said official figures stated that nearly 214 people were killed by the naxalites during the last one year ever since the 'Salwa Judum' the campaign against naxalites began in June 2005.

Besides, there were complaints that killings by the police had not been reported, he added.

The former Chief Minister alleged that the special police officers (SPO), being appointed to assist the police in anti-naxalite operations, have become 'super police officers', who conducted search in the villages and harassed the tribals, accusing them of supporting the Maoists.

Mr Jogi said the local people of a village in Dantewara district told him that they had stopped eating fish of local rivers as they found human bodies floating in their waters. He, however, refused to name the village saying could lead to further harassment.

''By sitting in the state capital, one cannot visualise the situation prevailing in South Bastar'', he added.

Referring to reports that nearly 66,000 people had deserted their villages because of naxalite threat and took shelter in the relief camps set up by the state government, Mr Jogi said this number appeared to be inflated and there could be corruption in ration and other arrangements being made for them.

The former Chief Minister reiterated his charge that Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) was behind the 'Salwa Judum' movement, alleging that its strategy appeared to be aimed at forcing the tribals to settle down at one place. ''This will give easy access to the RSS to teach them its ideology,'' he said.

UNI JJ PK GC1436