Sukma: Even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a trip to Dantewada in Chhatisgarh, Naxals have blocked key roads by digging them up or felling trees. Speaking at a rally, Modi reached out to the Naxals asking them to give up violence as the region needs development.
"Guns on shoulders cannot solve any problems. Naxals who wanted children to walk the path with guns and swords and bombs, Raman Singh gave them pens instead. I look at those 800 kids and I say there is no future for violence, but only for peaceful ways. I have seen that today," he said.
Meanwhile, Police has denied reports that Naxals have taken several villagers hostage in a village in Sukma district. They claim some labourers were taken captive because the Naxals were upset over them working on a bridge construction project. The Home Ministry has sought a report from local police over the incident.
"The issue is a very old old one. It will take time to clear it and we are confident that we will be able to get rid of the Naxal issue," Home Minister Rajnath Singh said.
Congress, however, targetted the PM's promise of development. "We are not opposing development. Neither are we opposing that he visited Dantewada which is a Naxal affected area. But yes we have a problem with the promises BJP did before elections and now any of them is not fulfilled," Congress leader Ajit Jogi said.
"Naxals have done this to protest against the participation of labourers in the construction of a bridge. Poeple of nearby villages are negotiating with the Naxal dallam in that area. Police is not getting involved now. This is an unsual situation, not linked to the PM's visit," IG Bastar range Kalluri said.
He also confirmed that the road from Sukhma to Dantewada has been dug up by Naxals to discourage people from attending the PM's rally. The last visit by a PM to Dantewada was 30 years back when Rajiv Gandhi had visited in 1985.
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