BJP on Sunday called off its anti-UPA Jail Bharo campaign in the wake of killing of Congress leaders in a Naxal attack in Chhattisgarh on Saturday afternoon. Beginning Monday, top BJP leaders had planned to court arrest in different parts of the country to highlight UPA’s failure and rampant corruption under the Congress-led coalition.
“Keeping in mind the sensibilities of the people post Naxal attack in Chhattisgarh, we have called off our nationwide Jail Bharo Andolan. Our National Executive will meet at Goa in June to decide future programmes and agitations,” BJP chief Rajnath Singh said.
He suggested centre to have an aggressive and unified strategy to deal with issues of Naxalism. “There cannot be a place for violence in a democratic country. Naxalism is a grave problem that needs to be dealt with an iron fist. I suggest that a unified strategy be put in place at the national level to deal with this problem effectively,” Singh told The Pioneer.
He is expected to visit family of slain Congress leader Mahendra Karma, who pioneered the anti-Naxal “Salwa Judum” campaign in Chhattisgarh. leader of Opposition in lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj also wrote on Twitter, “It is shocking and most unfortunate. We condemn this outright.” Party general secretary Ananth Kumar said the entire nation should stand up and resolve to “weed out this menace of Naxalism and violence from our motherland”.
The BJP chief and other senior leaders of the party later visited veteran Congressman VC Shukla who is recuperating in a Gurgaon Hospital after receiving gun shots in Saturday attack. BJP veteran lK Advani also visited the hospital to enquire about Shukla’s condition.
“I went to the ICU and all parameters indicate that there is stability (in Shukla’s condition). I felt relieved after seeing him,” Advani told reporter outside the Hospital in Gurgaon.
Advani said he has taken up the issue of Naxal violence with the Prime Minister. “This is one of the most audicious attacks that have taken place in recent times. And I spoke to the Prime Minister also and requested him that concerted efforts should be made to combat and overcome this menace,” Advani said.