Naxalism can only be checked through development: CPI

Raipur, Nov 13 (UNI) The Communist Party of India (CPI) today said that Chhattisgarh's naxalism could only be controlled through development and dialogue rather than going for ''state-sponsored'' crime in the name of the 'Salwa Judum' anti-Maoist movement.

Supporting the rebels for raising voices against atrocities unleashed by the state's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) regime, CPI Secretary Atul Kumar Anjaan felt that the ultra outfits should also abjure violence.

''The BJP government should have begun talks with the outfits to learn their grievances rather than trying to crush their voices through Salwa Judum,'' he said.

The CPI, which is contesting 22 seats in the Assembly polls, including eight seats in Bastar division, was trying to garner tribal support. In the 2003 Assemby polls, the party contested 17 seats sans success but achieved 2.92 per cent of votes.

Mr Anjaan said his party would protest any transfer of government land to any industrialist in the mineral-rich state.

He also demanded that the government should make public, a geological Survey of India's report on the state's mineral reserves.

''After the survey, every major industrial house wants to purchase land in remote pockets as there are immense reserves of gold and diamonds in Bastar region,'' Mr Anjaan claimed.

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