‘Urban Maoists backed by Congress’: Modi

Jadgalpur, Nov 9: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday accused the Congress of backing urban Maoists who he said have ruined the lives of poor Adivasi youth.

Addressing his first election rally for the state Assembly polls scheduled later this month, Modi also said Congress makes “fun” of adivasis (tribals).

Modi said he will not rest till he fulfils late Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s dreams for a prosperous Chhattisgarh, adding the Congress-led government did not do enough to develop the Naxal-infested Bastar region citing the Maoist menace as an excuse.

“The urban Maoists who live in air conditioned homes in the cities, look clean and whose children study abroad, remote control the adivasi children in the Naxal dominated areas,” Modi said.

“I want to ask the Congress why it supports the urban Maoists when the government takes action against them and come to Bastar and speak against Naxalism,” he said.

“Will you forgive such people? These people will not win Chhattisgarh. I appeal to you to ensure that BJP wins all seats in the Bastar region. If anyone else wins, it will be a blot on Bastar’s dreams,” he added.

Modi said no other Prime Minister visited Bastar as often as he did. “I have not come empty handed but given you some scheme and development programme. We are working hard to eradicate unemployment, poverty and hunger from the region.

Previously there were resources but nothing happened,” he said. Modi said he wanted to serve the people of Chhattisgarh and fulfill Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s dreams of a prosperous state. “I will not rest till I fulfill his dreams.

Congress speaks of Dalits, deprived sections and tribal but the party considers them as vote banks and not as human beings, he said.

Chilika: At least four fishermen sustained critical injuries following an explosion on the banks of Chilika near Arakhakuda village under Brahmagiri police limits in Puri district on Friday morning.

The injured have been identified as Abinash Behera, Babul Behera, Abhiram Behera and Narasingha Behera of the same village.

According to sources, the incident occurred when the fishermen were building boats with fibre. The four fishermen sustained critical injuries after an unexpected explosion took place.

The injured persons were initially rushed to Rebana Nuagaon Community Health Centre (CHC) and later shifted to Puri District Headquarters Hospital (DHH) as their health condition deteriorated.

Though the actual reason behind the blast is yet to be ascertained, it is suspected that the blast occurred due to some chemical reaction.