The Opposition Congress on Tuesday charged that the Saturday’s massacre of its top party leaders at Darbha valley was part of a conspiracy to kill political opponents instead of merely a Naxal attack with finger of suspicion pointing at several persons. According to the party, meeting of Sukma was pre-determined as also no changes in the route was effected in the eleventh hours as is alleged in the press.
Speaking in a press conference at State party headquarters Tuesday, Congress media cell in-charge Shailesh Nitin Trivedi, Bhupesh Baghel and Subhash Sharma alleged that just 3 months ago Manthan Shivir of Congress party was organised at Bijapur and the state government had provided ample security deputing 2 jawans at every 20 metres but when there was news of presence of Maoists in Jheeram valley for the last one week the government did not provide any security.
Mourning the death of their top leaders, the trio alleged that when CM’s Vikas Yatra was planned in Bastar the administration stationed thousands of jawans in the area for providing security even if he visited the area by chopper, but for Congress’ Parivartan Yatra not one tenth of the forces provided for the Vikas Yatra was given resulting in top Congress leaders falling to the bullets of Maoists. Trivedi said that in the naxal attack Congress has lost leaders like Nand Kumar Patel place of whom cannot be filled. The party has suffered great jolt with the loss of so many leaders, Trivedi added.
According to Trivedi, programme of parivartan Yatra at Sukma was pre planned. After Sukma the team of leaders had to go to Keshlur, 76 km away from Sukma. The returning route too was already fixed as the second route which was through Dantewada is very long almost twice the distance of Darbha route. On this route the convoy was accorded welcome first at Kokenar by block Congress leader lakheshwar Baghel and others. From there the convoy reached Tongpal where too it was welcomed by block Congress leaders. At Darbha and Keslur too party leaders and workers were waiting to accord welcome to the convoy. Hence, the rumour of change in route in the eleventh hour was not true.
Trivedi asked the state administration why security was not provided for Parivartan Yatra when there was already news of Maoist insurgents’ presence in Darbha valley and charged that behind the naxal attack there was conspiracy to get killed political opponents as needle of suspicion pointing towards many persons. Now, that the NIA is investigating the incident every aspect the attack will come into open, the Congress leaders expressed the hope.