Congress to boycott Assy session, demands security in Bastar

Raipur, Mar 15 (UNI) Opposition Congress in Chhattisgarh Assembly today decided to boycott the ongoing session, demanding that the state government must take concrete steps to protect life and property of the people of tribal Bastar region.

The Congress decision came after state Home Minister Ram Vichar Netam made a suo motu statement in the House late this evening, confirming 55 deaths in today's naxalite attack at Ranibodli police camp in Dantewada district.

Reacting to the minister's statement, Leader of the Opposition Mahendra Karma wondered how such an incident had taken place, particularly when the state was on 'high alert' following the killing of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha'S Sunil Mahto in neighbouring Jharkhand. He said the incident was the outcome of serious lapse in security as the BJP government failed to give proper attention on the law and order situation.

Mr Karma said the Superintendent of Police came to know about the incident at about 0220 hours just 20 minutes after the Maoists began their attack on the police camp. He said additional security forces could have been dispatched immediately from Farsegarh and Kutru, which are just seven and 12 Kms away from the site of incident.

"Police wanted to keep themselves safe and waited till morning", Mr Karma said adding that it was only because of such a fault that the number of casualities had gone up. "If the security forces themselves are insecure, what will be message percolating down to the masses," he asked.

Mr Karma, who is among the forefront of the ongoing anti-Naxalite campaign in Bastar, said the government did not learn any lession when the Naxalites were targetting ''Salwa Judum'' activists. Now the rebels have killed 55 people in a single attack, he said adding the government had lost its moral right to continue in office.

"Its a serious security lapse. We will boycott the proceedings of the house till the state government made an announcement to take concrete steps to step up security and protect the life and property in Bastar.'' As opposition Congress boycotted the House, Speaker Prem Prakash Pandey deferred debate on the budget demands saying it was the tradition of the house to hold debate in the presence of the Opposition.

UNI