By IANS,
New Delhi : A court-monitored Special Investigation Team (SIT) should investigate the killing of Congress leaders in Chhattisgarh, BJP president Rajnath Singh said Monday.
He said in an interview that the probe into the Saturday killings in the BJP-ruled state should not be done by an agency “controlled” by the central government.
“This whole incident should be probed by a SIT monitored by the Supreme Court. What were the reasons, what happened,” Rajnath Singh told IANS.
The home ministry has said the National Investigation Agency (NIA) will conduct the probe.
“A government-controlled agency should not do the probe. This government has continuously misused these agencies,” Rajnath Singh said.
The BJP president will visit Chhattisgarh Tuesday and is expected to meet Chief Minister Raman Singh.
Maoists Saturday evening ambushed a convoy of Congress leaders in a forested area in Bastar region of Chhattisgarh leaving 28 people dead.
Among the dead were state Congress president Nand Kumar Patel, his son Dinesh, party leader Mahendra Karma and former legislator Uday Mudliyar.
The injured included former central minister V.C. Shukla.
Congress leader Ajit Jogi accused the state government of not providing enough security for the Congress leaders.
Rajnath Singh said the incident was not a security lapse, but a national problem.
“Naxalism is not a law and order problem, it is a national problem. The central government should call a meeting of all states and draw an action plan.”
He said the problem was the way the “Naxal issue” has been handled.
“There is a shortcoming in the anti-Naxal policy, that is why it has continued to persist after so many years,” he said. “This government has not been able to control it.
“The incident was very unfortunate, sad, and I also believe that lot of innocent people are getting killed not just in Chhattisgarh but all across the country, a lot of security personnel have also lost their lives.
“A comprehensive action plan is needed,” Rajnath Singh said.