Rahul Gandhi calls C'garh attack, an attack on democracy

Raipur, May 26: Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi today, here termed the Maoist attack on his party leaders, which left senior leader Mahendra Karma dead, and several others injured, as not an attack on Congress but an attack on democracy.

"It is not an attack on Congress. It is an attack on democracy. But, we'll not fear from such an attack and continue to move forward with enthusiasm," Rahul Gandhi said.

Gandhi addressed media briefly at the Raipur Congress Bhawan after reaching here from New Delhi at about 2 am today.

"I met V C Shukla and other injured leaders at a hospital. As soon as his condition becomes stable, he'll be sent to Delhi," he said. "Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi will also be visiting and meeting the victims this morning," Gandhi said.

Former union minister V C Shukla and 19 others were injured yesterday when heavily-armed Maoists ambushed a convoy of party leaders inside a dense forest in Chhattisgarh's Bastar district.

Responding to a question on the imposition of President's Rule in the state the Gandhi family scion said "it is not time to do politics".

It is not time to do politics here. It's a very sad incident and we all have to stand by it together," he said. Shukla and other injured party leaders are undergoing treatment at the Rama Krishna Care Hospital here.

The Maoists also kidnapped PCC chief Nand Kumar Patel and his son Dinesh after attacking the convoy of Congress leaders in Darba Gati Valley near Jagdalpur. Both are still missing.

PTI