Bastar bloodbath: Parties and govt assess blow

Demoralised Congress workers are already wondering who would lead them.

The initial incomprehension in the Chhattisgarh Congress gave way to dismay as the scale of the Sukma attack began to sink in,and finally to violence as the party observed a bandh on Sunday after its state chief Nand Kumar Patel was found dead. Activists blocked trains and road traffic and ransacked several offices,targeting particularly those of the BJP.

By the time Rahul Gandhi was addressing them late on Saturday night,the demoralised party workers were already wondering who would lead them,though Patels body would be found only in the morning. News of the attack on the Parivartan Yatra broke around 5 pm,but it was only around 8 pm that the first hint came about Patel having possibly been killed. Kawasi Lakhma,Konta MLA,who was injured in the attack,told his party colleagues that he had heard a sudden burst of fire moments after he had seen the Maoists disappear into the forest after abducting Patel and his son.

Lakhma told me… it is probably all over, party media convener Shailesh Nitin Trivedi said,before the partys fears were confirmed in the morning.

Story continues below this ad

Party men crowding Raipurs Congress Bhavan alleged the security provided to their leaders hadnt been enough. Maoists had declared a Bastar bandh on Sunday,but police provided only a follow vehicle for a convoy of over 20 that was to pass through the Maoist stronghold,Congress leaders said. Police had not even issued us an advisory about the bandh. How would we know? We presumed everything was fine,that the administration would ensure our security, said MLA T S Sinhadev,who was in the yatra but whose vehicle had travelled a couple of kilometres ahead.

By midnight,several of the injured had been admitted to Maharani Hospital in Jagdalpur,and some to Raipur. Rahul arrived around 1 am as party men were asking one another who would lead them in the elections later this year. Now Rahulji,Soniaji are arriving,let them decide, said a leader.

Rahul addressed party members in a brief but emotional speech that lasted some five minutes. Agar woh log sochte hain to humen maar kar,dara kar,bhaga denge,to who galat hain (If they think that they can chase us away by killing or intimidating us,they are wrong), he said. Congress workers will fight and win. He left around 3.30 pm.

Neither he nor Chhattisgarh party members made any mention of the word Maoist on Saturday night. Party members target,at least in Chhattisgarh,was the state government. Some demanded Presidents rule and condemned the BJP government for a security failure. Later,former minister Bhupesh Baghel said,Maybe its time to change,to discuss what it is all about. Things cannot go on like this.

Story continues below this ad

During the bandh,Congress activists blocked trains in Raigarh,home district of Patel,besides ransacking the PWD rest house at his home in Kharsiya and BJP offices at a number of places. They burnt effigies of the chief minister and blocked roads and shut shops in several cities.

SHOCK,ANGER

Our leaders… have sacrificed their lives. However,our country will never bow down before Naxalism

Manmohan Singh,Prime Minister

It is not an attack on Congress or its leaders,but an attack on democratic values

Sonia Gandhi,Congress chief

The nation will neither be overawed nor intimidated by such action

Pranab Mukherjee,President

Need to strengthen network,constantly change strategies

Raman Singh,chief minister

Story continues below this ad

I have spoken to Raman Singh; he has agreed to an NIA probe

Sushil Kumar ShiNde,