New Delhi, March 31 (IANS) Congress leaders on Tuesday countered Union Home Minister, Amit Shah’s, accusation of it nurturing Naxalism in the country. The party highlighted the martyrdom o​f its leader in Chhattisgarh at the hands of Naxals.

The comments came after HM Shah accused Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party of consistently providing ideological support and a soft corner to Naxalites, during his address in the Lok Sabha. ​

Speaking to IANS, Congress MP Imran Masood stated, “Congress leaders have sacrificed their lives because of Naxalism. The Congress leadership in Chhattisgarh had been martyred due to Naxalism, under the regime of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state at that time.”

He further emphasised, “The Congress’ history is all about martyrdom, whether during India’s freedom struggle, due to terrorism or attacks by Naxals. So if you blame those whose history itself is filled with sacrifices, people will counter them instead.”

Reiterating Masood’s argument, Congress MP Pramod Tiwari mentioned about party leader Vidya Charan Shukla, who died after sustaining injuries in a Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh in 2013.

He told IANS, “We (Congress) have dedicated everything (to the nation) and are now being falsely accused.”

Tiwari emphasised that communalism was also as harmful for the country as Naxalism.

“I want to tell HM Shah that just like Naxalism, communalism also is equally harmful for the country, which is being spread by the BJP. Communalism will also be wiped out from the country, according to the Constitution, and the Congress will do it.”

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP, Manoj Jha, alleged that the basis of HM Shah’s speech was “capsule WhatsApp version of sociology and political economy”.

“Blame game is a part of his (HM Shah’s) personality,” he told IANS.

RJD MP, Abhay Kushwaha, while agreeing with HM Amit Shah that Naxalism has been eliminated from the country to a large extent, underlined that “the citizens are now more aware.”

He claimed that Naxalism was eliminated from Bihar to a large extent, even before 2014. “In some places there were people who, in the name of Naxalism, used to carry out such acts to earn money,” he said.

Speaking to IANS, Kushwaha urged the government to work towards bringing development in areas which have been freed of Naxals.

Meanwhile, HM Shah on Monday declared in the Lok Sabha that India has virtually become Naxal-free, with the dreaded Maoist central and state leadership structures almost completely eliminated just a day before the government’s self-imposed deadline of March 31, 2026.

–IANS

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