Chidambaram wants BJP to maintain bipartisan approach to Maoist menace

New Delhi, May 19 (ANI): Home Minister P. Chidambaram has suggested that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) should maintain a bipartisan approach to the Maoists issue.

Talking to reporters here on Tuesday, Chidambaram said: "I would appeal to all political parties, especially the BJP to maintain a bipartisan approach to deal with the Naxals.

Chidambaram was reacting to the comments made by senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley, wherein he is reported to have said that Chidambaram looked like an 'injured martyr' after Maoist rebels blew up a bus full of civilians in Chhattisgarh.

Chidambaram also spoke about the Central government's strategy in dealing with the Maoists and termed it as a 'limited mandate' by contending it was the primary responsibility of the State governments to tackle the menace.

"Our mandate is to help the State governments take on the challenge of Naxalites by providing paramilitary forces, intelligence and technical assistance. It's the State governments which have the primarily responsibility to tackle the menace of Naxalism. It is in that context that I said that our mandate is a limited mandate," opined Chidambaram.

About 35 people were killed when Maoists blew up a private bus near Dantewada in Chhattisgarh.

The bus was on its way from Dantewada to Sukma. The incident took place near Chingawaram, about nine kilometers from Sukma.

The bus was carrying 20 special police officers (SPO) and over 30 civilians. (ANI)