Ex-BSF Chief Prakash Singh calls Bijapur Naxal attack operational and intelligence failure
He observed a lack of coordination among police officers in Chhattisgarh and asked for an investigation of the expenditure of central funds.
Former Chief of the Border Security Force (BSF) Prakash Singh on Sunday said that Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur Naxal attack was due to an operational and intelligence failure.
Singh told, “A few days ago I met some police officers in Chhattisgarh and when I discussed with them, we saw lack of willpower in Chhattisgarh officers to fight Naxalites and lack of coordination among officers. This kind of incident is the result of these factors.”
This operation was a failure and not a moment of pride for Chhattisgarh police, he added.
Prakash Singh also questioned the use of funds that have been allocated from the centre to fight the Naxalites and said that it is also important to know whether the money is being used for the purpose or not. It should be investigated, he added.
Singh said that many questions have been arising over the incident. An encounter broke out between security forces and Naxals along the Sukma-Bijapur border in Chhattisgarh on Saturday after a party of jawans was ambushed by Maoists near Jonnaguda village around noon. At least 22 security personnel lost their lives in the Bijapur Naxal attack.
Dantewada Horror Of April 10, 2010 Recalled
The April 2010 Maoist Attack carried out in Dantewada, Bastar area of Chattisgarh has been called the deadliest attack carried by the Maoists on Indian security forces.
It was an ambush laid by Naxalite-Maoist insurgents from the Communist Party of India (Maoist) near Chintalnar village in Dantewada district, Chhattisgarh, India, leading to the killing of 76 CRPF policemen and 8 Maoists. The attack occurred when over 80 officers from the central paramilitary force Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and a local police group were conducting an area domination exercise in the Bastar tribal region of the Indian state of Chhattisgarh.
After the Dantewada attack, Ex-BSF Chief Prakash Singh had said, “There is a complete lack of understanding between the two — the state police complains about the central forces while the CRPF has reservation about the state police.”
He was also quoted as saying, “Second, if 1,000 Naxals were part of the attack, Chhattisgarh Police should have provided intelligence. There is enough information in the states, but the question is how much of the information is shared. The third factor is complacency on the part of the CRPF; they did not follow standard operating procedures. “
Then Home Minister Offered Resignation After The Dantewada Attack
India’s then home minister P Chidambaram said, “Something has gone very wrong. They seem to have walked into a trap set by the [Maoists] and casualties are quite high.” He added that it appeared that the forces had “walked” into a rebel ambush by returning to the police base via the same route they had come.
On 9 April Chidamabram offered his resignation to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over the issue, which the Prime Minister rejected.
Home Minister Amit Shah Assures Befitting Reply
Present Home Minister Amit Shah has assured befitting reply to the perpetrators of the attack.
As per reports, Though Shah arrived at Sualkuchi, in Jalkubari constituency after addressing his first rally of the day, to campaign for NEDA convenor Himanta Biswa Sarma, he left without making any speech on learning of the Naxal attack. He took a helicopter to Guwahati en-route to Delhi to take stock of the situation.
Before leaving, the home minister told reporters he was appealing to people to vote for Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to ensure Sarma’s victory by a huge margin. He added that the vote would strengthen the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his work in Assam and the North East.
Shah said that both Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Sarma are working to develop the state and ”we want this to continue”.
