Thaindian News

Raipur, March 28 (IANS) The opposition Congress legislators paralysed the Chhattisgarh assembly Monday over the alleged police rampage in Dantewada district, claiming that “Chhattisgarh is under jungle raj (rule of the jungle), not under (chief minister) Raman raj.” The state home minister, however, attributed the attack to the Maoists.

Soon after the question hour, Congress members were on their feet, raising slogans and demanding a discussion on the issue under an adjournment motion.

The house was adjourned for 10 minutes amid ruckus by Congress members despite Speaker Dharamlal Kaushik assuring them that the alleged killings of tribals and burning of their homes by security forces in Dantewada district would be discussed under a calling attention notice.

When the house re-assembled, members of the Congress, which has 39 legislators in the 90-member assembly, were still raising slogans, drowning the statement of Home Minister Nankiram Kanwar in the uproar.

In his written statement, later made available to media, the minister put the blame for burning the tribal’s homes on the Maoists.

Kanwar informed the house that a contingent of 327 policemen had been on area domination exercise in Tarmetla and adjoining areas from March 11 to 16 and the Maoists came under heavy pressure of forces. The rebels had burnt houses of people to divert attention of police and escaped into forests. He said that cases under various sections against Maoists have already been registered at Chintlar police outpost under Jagargunda police station.

The minister’s statement was in complete contrast to what the residents of Tarmetla and two other adjoining areas have alleged. The residents have entirely blamed the police for rape, killings and burning of houses.

The home minister said: “It is incorrect to say that resentment and anger is prevailing in the area (Tarmetla) against the police, in fact, the police action in the area against Maoists has strengthened people’s faith in the police force.”

Chief Minister Raman Singh was in the house when Congress members were raising slogans against his government and demanding his resignation.

The agitated Congress members said that Singh should at least make a statement on the issue of police excesses in the Dantewada villages. But he chose to remain silent even when Congress leader and former chief minister Ajit Jogi alleged that “tribals are being killed in the state just like insects during the Raman government’s regime”.

Leader of Opposition Ravindra Choubey alleged that the security forces killed many people, burnt down over 300 houses and raped women in the poverty-hit tribal villages between March 14 and 16.

He accused the Bharatiya Janata Party government of remaining silent on the issue.

“Dead bodies are still lying in Tarmetla and nearby villages in Dantewada. The killings of the tribals were executed under government protection and it is most unfortunate that the police are not allowing anyone to visit the place,” Choubey said.

He referred to the attack against Swami Agnivesh, who was Friday pulled out of his car and attacked by a mob that included Salwa Judum cadres and policemen in Dornapal town while he was heading to the villages to assess the police excesses.

The opposition claimed that there was no government administration in Dantewada and that the tribals are left to the mercy of god as the police and the Maoists are targetting them.

When the speaker refused to take up the issue under adjournment motion notice, Congress legislators announced boycott of the house for the whole day.

The alleged attack by Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troopers along with the Koya commandos, a unit of local tribals fighting the Maoists, in three tribal hamlets near Tarmetla has led to widespread criticism against the security forces and the state government.

The tribals of these hamlets alleged that the security forces assaulted women, killed livestock and burnt nearly 200 houses over three-four days. Many were illegally detained and some people are still unaccounted for, they said.

The Tarmetla area is where the outlawed rebels slaughtered 76 troopers in April last year.