Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will convene a high level meeting to rework the government's anti-Naxal strategy on May 24, even as Home Minister P Chidambaram has taken on his own party for undermining the ongoing fight against the Maoist onslaught and asked leaders like Digvijay Singh and Arun Jaitley (without naming them) to take a broader overview of the Naxal issue and refrain from weakening the government.
In the wake of Monday's Maoist attack where 36 civilians and special police officers were killed in Dantewada, there appears to be a complete break down unity in the Congress party with confusion reigning over the stand of the party and no one clear on what exactly is the Congress thinking or proposed line of action on a serious issue like the continued naxal attacks.
Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh is continuing to take on Home Minister P Chidambaram on his Naxal stand and offering advice from the sidelines on what the government should do.
When Chidambaram spoke of various chief ministers asking him to use air power in the fight against the Naxals and how he was trying to convince the cabinet committee on security to allow him to look into this aspect, Digvijay Singh had countered it by saying that air power can be used for transportation but cannot be allowed to be used for launching attacks against the Naxals.
The BJP is having a field day with the multiplicity of voices
The Congress party while refusing to take a formal stand on P Chidambaram's need for allowing air power, privately conceded that it was a bad idea and unless it was used only for transportion or helicopter gun ships, it would be difficult for the party to agree to this. Privately however party leaders concede that Chidambaram has a point when he says that the stand taken in Parliament on social justice has not helped the fight against Maoist violence.
Sources say that senior ministers in the Manmohan Singh government are however upset at the manner in which Chidambaram spoke about the discussions in the cabinet committee on security and said that sensitive discussions can not be revealed in public.They contend that Chidambaram probably spoke like this because he was upset and overwrought by the Naxal attack.
While Chidambaram is looking to increase his "mandate" on the handling of the Naxal problem, clearly conveying the impression that his hands are tied by his own party and sections of his own government, the BJP on the other hand has come out in full and open support of the home minister. Sending the signal loud and clear that it is the opposition which is supporting the home minister while his own party is expressing grave doubts on his thinking and functioning.
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