Manmohan Singh attacks BJP over Maoist attack, development failure

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Saturday attacked the BJP government in Chhattisgarh over its failure to prevent the May 25 Maoist attack which wiped out the frontline Congress leadership in the state.

Manmohan Singh also said that the ruling party in the state had failed in development.

Paying tributes to the Congress leaders and security men who died in the May 25 attack in Jhiramghati area of Bastar region, the prime minister said: "It was an attack on our democracy. But we will not be cowed down by such incidents." "The incident showed how the law and order situation worsened during BJP rule," he said.

The prime minister was addressing Congress workers here ahead of the first phase of assembly polls in Chhattisgarh Nov 11. He said the state government had failed in other areas like health care, education and infrastructure as well, and asked Congress workers to tell the people about the development work done by the United Progressive Alliance government at the centre.

He highlighted welfare legislations like the food security act, the land acquisition act and the right to education act.

The prime minister pointed out that in several areas, there had been no progress during the 10 years of BJP rule in the state, and said the government misused central funds.

Making a comparison of the UPA rule and the rule of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance 1998-2004, he said the ruling combine at the centre faired better in almost all areas like economic development, per capital income and attempts to reduce poverty.

Taking a dig at the BJP, he said Congress workers should caution voters of the communal agenda of the BJP and its attempts to mislead people by redefining secularism. The Congress, he said, worked for the development of all sections of society and all regions of the country.