Strongly disapproving the practice of blaming Naxals for every incident of violence, the Supreme Court on Monday voiced concern over private armies ruling the roost in many areas where there was 'complete lawlessness'.
"Don't call them naxals. This is the most convenient term used by the people living a convenient life to brand them and finish them.
"There are many pockets in the country where there is complete lawlessness and where parallel government runs. People are not voilent in nature but they are instigated. People do not do it on their own," the apex court observed.
The apex court made the remarks while hearing an appeal filed by West Bengal government challenging Kolkata high court order for CBI probe in Lalgarh's Netai village massacre case.
The bench referred to last week's vandalisim unleashed by agitators in the heart of Hyderabad city over the Telangana issue.
The Netai massacre on January 7, which claimed nine lives and left many others injured, was allegedly carried out by CPI(M) cadres in Lalgarh and 10 persons have been arrested so far.
Opposing the plea of the state government, the High Court Bar Association and the West Bengal Association for Democratic Rights, on whose petition the high court ordered the CBI probe, pleaded that inquiry by the central agency is needed as the Union home minister had in the past expressed concern over the law and order situation in the state.
In the last hearing, the state governemnt had assured the bench that all the accused involved in the case will be brought to justice irrespective of their political alliance. It suggested that instead of a CBI probe, the apex court could impose conditions on the CID for an effective and impartial probe into the incident.
The state government is challenging the high court order for a CBI probe, saying it had "political overtones" in it.
