Nadda targets Congress over 2013 Jhiram Ghati Naxal attack, says insiders were involved

Janjgir (Chhattisgarh): In a sharp attack on Congress, BJP president JP Nadda on Monday alleged that some insiders in the party were involved in facilitating the 2013 Jhiram Ghati Naxal attack, which led to the killing of state Congress leaders.

Addressing the 'Janadesh Parab' (people's mandate festival) event held to mark the completion of two years of the Vishnu Deo Sai-led BJP government, Nadda said previous Congress governments had colluded with Naxalites, while the "double-engine" government under PM Narendra Modi confronted Left-wing extremism head-on.

The event was held at the Khokhra Police Ground in Janjgir-Champa district.

Nadda said he was in charge of the BJP for Chhattisgarh during the 2013 Jhiram Valley naxal attack and closely witnessed developments related to it.

"I witnessed (developments related to) the Jhiram Valley incident. Today, I want to say with great responsibility that no one else was providing information and inside details about the Jhiram Valley incident; it was people from within their own ranks who were involved in getting their own people killed and were in contact with the Naxalites." Nadda said.

"If the horse befriends the grass, what will it eat? When the protector becomes the predator, what will happen to the common people of Chhattisgarh?" he asked.

On May 25, 2013, Maoists attacked a convoy of Congress leaders during the party's 'Parivartan Rally' ahead of the assembly elections in the Jhiram valley in Bastar district, killing 32 people, including then state Congress chief Nand Kumar Patel, former leader of opposition Mahendra Karma, and former union minister Vidyacharan Shukla.

Nadda said a decisive action was taken against Maoism under the double-engine government in the Centre and the state, under CM Sai.

He claimed that Naxalism has now been confined to a limited number of villages and districts in the state.

"Nearly 2,500 Naxalites have surrendered in the last two years, 1,853 have been arrested, and top leaders such as Hidma and Basavaraju have been neutralised," he said.

Nadda alleged that Congress governments had maintained friendship and understanding with Naxalites, whereas the BJP government under the leadership of PM Modi launched a decisive strike to end the menace.

"Under PM Modi, the double-engine government acted decisively, and under Sai's leadership, it was firmly implemented on the ground. In the coming time, Naxalism will be uprooted and eliminated," he said.

Targeting the previous Bhupesh Baghel-led Congress government, he said, people still remember the corruption in administration, failure to deliver on its promises, and the appeasement policy.

The biggest problem was an understanding with Naxalism, the BJP leader said.

He added that the public had uprooted such an ineffective and deceitful government in the 2023 assembly elections and voted the BJP to power.

Highlighting the "report card" of the Vishnu Deo Sai government of the last two years, the BJP chief said the state had taken sensitive and result-oriented decisions in the interests of farmers, women, youth and workers, with visible impact at the grassroots level.

Within the first month of assuming office, the government released over Rs 3,700 crore to farmers, while direct benefit transfers worth Rs 1.25 lakh crore were made to them over the past two years, reflecting the government's commitment to the welfare and dignity of 'annadatas', he added.

Nadda said more than five lakh landless agricultural labourers were provided with an assistance of Rs 10,000 each, strengthening their socioeconomic security.

Referring to initiatives for youth, he cited a transparent recruitment system, the process to fill 32,000 posts, reforms in the Public Service Commission, establishment of the Nalanda Library and modernisation of ITIs, calling them the foundation for future development.

Nadda said schemes such as the Mahtari Vandan Yojana and Mahtari Sadan for women's empowerment, benefits provided to 70 lakh families under PM Janman, and tribal upliftment through the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Yojana reflected the government's sensitive approach.

"What was promised was fulfilled, and even what was not promised was delivered," Nadda added.

In his address, CM Vishnu Deo Sai said significant progress had been made towards breaking the backbone of Naxalism and achieving the goal of a Maoist-free Chhattisgarh.

A coordinated strategy on all three fronts- security, rehabilitation, and development- has paved the way for peace and prosperity in Naxal-affected regions, he said.