Chattisgarh CM calls all-party meet on May 30 on Naxal issue

Facing strident criticism from opposition parties for the deadly Naxal attack in Bastar, Raman Singh convened an all-party meeting on May 30.

Raipur: Facing strident criticism from opposition parties for the deadly Naxal attack in Bastar, Chattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh on Tuesday convened an all-party meeting on May 30 to discuss the menace.

"The Chief Minister will hold an all-party meet to discuss the Naxal issue broadly," an official here said. In the meeting, Singh is likely to seek suggestions from members of all political parties on Naxal issue and elaborate on the latest law and order situation to the Leader of Opposition in Chhattisgarh Assembly, the official said. The Chief Minister will also inform them about steps taken by the government after the Bastar attack which claimed 27 lives, the official said. The situation which has cropped up after the attack and security arrangements in its wake will be closely scrutinised in the meeting, the official said. The decision to convene the all-party meeting came hours after Congress demanded immediate resignation of the Chief Minister, charging his government with failure to maintain security. BJP today accused Congress of indulging in "petty politics" by accusing Chhattisgarh government of failing to provide adequate security to the Congress leaders. BJP and Congress have drawn daggers at each other on the Maoist attack in which virtually the entire leadership of the state Congress was wiped out. Left parties have also condemned the brutal attack saying they disapproved violent retribution against political opponents. Heavily-armed Maoists had on Saturday ambushed a convoy of Congress leaders in Darbha, killing 27 people including PCC chief N K Patel, his son Dinesh, Congress leader Mahendra Karma and ex-MLA Uday Mudliyar and injuring 37 others, including former Union minister V C Shukla. PTI