I’m anti-violence: Diggy; BJP calls him ‘Naxal-premi’

Bhopal: Days after security forces took out elusive Naxal top gun Madvi Hidma in a fierce exchange of fire in Andhra Pradesh, veteran Congress leader Digvijaya Singh stirred a major controversy, purportedly advancing the theory of a fake encounter of the Maoist commander and his wife. Taking to his social media handle, the former Madhya Pradesh chief minister shared a video clip in which tribal rights activist Soni Sori, in an interview with a local media network, claims that Hidma was in the process of surrendering to the security forces but was murdered. She is also heard demanding an independent inquiry into the alleged encounter. Hidma, who plotted and led 26 deadly ambushes against the forces, was gunned down in Andhra's Alluri Sitaramaraju district on Tuesday. After the killing, reports emerged that the dreaded Maoist commander had sent feelers for negotiating a surrender in an exchange of correspondence with a local scribe.Sharing the video, Digvijaya posted in Hindi, "I am a staunch opponent of the violence perpetrated by Naxalites. I am in favour of any compromise that results in their surrender. However, the larger issue lies somewhere else. They should be brought into the social and economic mainstream." "The Govt should implement the PESA law in all scheduled areas of the country, especially in the tribal areas of the Bastar division. Local tribals should be allowed to partake in the mineral wealth of Bastar. Now, with regard to the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls, will tribals in scheduled areas, especially the Naxalite belt, be able to produce certificates being demanded as part of the enumeration exercise so that their names are not struck off the voter lists? These are questions that should be introspected upon by all political parties. BJP has never been a champion of tribal interests." Hitting back at the Congress veteran over his social media post, the BJP called him a ‘Naxal Premi' (Naxal lover). The BJP's state media cell chief, Ashish Agarwal, said, "Why does Digvijaya Singh always stand by Naxals and terrorists? Why does he not react when these people brutally kill our jawans and innocent civilians? From his post, it looks like Digvijaya Singh is a sympathiser of Naxals, a Naxal premi. The Congress and its leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi should explain if this is the official stand of the party."

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