The BJP on Tuesday described Union home minister P. Chidambaram as an “injured martyr” after he said he was given a “limited mandate” on the issue of taking tougher action against Naxals. Condemning the Naxal attack in Dantewada which killed 35 people, the BJP said it is also time Prime Minister Manmohan Singh explain whether he favours “limited mandate” to fight the Naxal menace or an all-out offensive against them. The party also attacked some senior Congress leaders for supporting a “soft” approach towards Naxals. The Congress, meanwhile, rejected the BJP’s criticism and said the main Opposition party should rather behave responsibly in times of crisis.
Speaking on the Naxal menace, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley said Dr Manmohan Singh needs to explain whether he is in favour of a “limited mandate” to fight the Maoists or an all-out offensive. “Chidambaram appeared to be an injured martyr. He looked disheartened. He claimed he had only a limited mandate from the Cabinet Committee on Security as against the larger mandate that he desired,” Mr Jaitley said. He also hit out at the Congress-led government for waging a “half-battle” against the Maoists.
Mr Chidambaram, in an interview to a private news channel, had said that he was given a “limited mandate” by the Cabinet Committee on Security.
The BJP asked the government whether the country would see a “half-battle” against Maoists or it will use all national security resources to eradicate Naxalism.