New Delhi: The Centre on Friday urged civil
society organisations to ask Left-wing extremists not to
disrupt the forthcoming elections in Jharkhand.
Condemning yesterday's train derailment in the state
by suspected Maoists which killed one person and injured 40
others, the Union Home Ministry in a statement said, "the CPI-
Maoist seem determined to carry out the threat to disrupt the
elections and continue to kill innocent people.
"Civil society organisations should also play their
part and condemn the wanton acts of violence and ask the CPI-
Maoist not to disrupt elections which constitute the
foundation of a democracy."
The statement also asked the electorate of the state
to exercise their right to vote confidently in the assembly
elections that begin on November 25.
"Nothing can be more destructive of democracy and the
rule of law than attempts by a banned organisation to disrupt
elections through premeditated acts of violence. We are
confident that the people of Jharkhand will face the challenge
of the CPI-Maoist resolutely and turn out in large numbers
to vote in the elections," it said.
Citing incidents of Naxal violence, the ministry said,
"As in the past, CPI-Maoist continue to target public
property...on November 6 they blasted a school building at
Ekauna in Chatra district of the state, on November 10 they
triggered IEDs and damaged two school buildings at Kone and at
Banbirwa, both in Latehar district and on November 15 a
Panchayat bhavan that was under construction at Dimbuli in
West Singhbhum was blasted."
PTI
First Published: Friday, November 20, 2009, 19:14