After May 25 Naxal attack wiped out its entire leadership in Chhattisgarh, the Congress has changed its strategy and would now hold smaller yatras in the State to avoid convergence of all senior leaders at one place.
The party has decided to first hold Kalash Yatras from the native places of its slain leaders — Nand Kumar Patel, VC Shukla and Uday Mudaliar — to focus on their supreme sacrifice. Kalash Yatra at Nandeli village of Patel will be held on July 4. After this the Yatra will be held on July 7 at Shukla’s ancestral village and on July 9 at Mudaliar’s birthplace Dongargarh, Congress general secretary BK Hariprasad said on Wednesday.
He said that the party has decided not to converge all the leaders at any one place to avoid repeat of May 25 like incident. The decision about Parivartan Yatra in Naxal-affected Dantewada will be taken at a later date, he said.
In view of the controversy over Shukla’s name not being included in the martyr list of the party leaders, Hariprasad clarified that it was not correct. Shukla’s name was there in the list of martyrs and was even announced at the function, but in view of the stature of the veteran leader it not given for the compensation money of Rs 5 lakh that is being given to each of 27 slain people. But the district authorities may forward it and fund may come later. PNS
Even the family of Mahendra Karma and many others refused to take the compensation amount, he pointed out.