Rahul Gandhi.
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: The BJP on Saturday alleged nexus between Congress and Maoists, and accused its leader Rahul Gandhi of fuelling "Naxalite sympathies", calling it a threat to national sovereignty.
Launching a sharp attack at the Congress in a series of posts from its official handle on X, the ruling BJP alleged that Naxal insurgency in India persisted for an extended period and reached alarming proportions "largely due to policy paralysis" during the second term of the erstwhile UPA government.
A significant factor behind such a situation was the influence of "urban Naxals" inducted as members in Sonia Gandhi-led erstwhile National Advisory Council (NAC), it charged.
Asserting that there is a "significant decline" in Naxal influence under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, the BJP alleged that "Naxalite apologists" continue to remain "entrenched" in the Congress leadership.
"Leader of the Opposition (in the Lok Sabha) Rahul Gandhi continues to fuel Naxalite sympathies... The Congress-Naxal nexus is a threat to national sovereignty. It's time to hold Congress accountable and expose this dangerous alliance," it added.
There was no immediate reaction from the Congress to the BJP's charge.
The BJP alleged that the Naxal insurgency in India reached alarming proportions and persisted for an extended period "largely due to policy paralysis" during the UPA-II government.
A "significant factor" was the influence of the NAC, which was headed by Sonia Gandhi and reportedly included members sympathetic to Naxal ideology, often referred to as "urban Naxals," it charged.
The BJP further said there is "documented evidence in the form of newspaper reports" suggesting that whenever the government contemplated decisive action against Naxal violence, "urban Naxal" voices within the NAC raised strong objections.
"Since the NAC was chaired by Sonia Gandhi, the government frequently yielded to this pressure, resulting in the suspension or dilution of counter-insurgency operations - even during periods when Naxal activities were at their peak," it said.
While urban Naxals advocated restraint, entire swaths of India were dismantled, brick by brick and wire by wire, cutting off entire villages from "civilisation", it alleged, adding that between 2007 and 2012, Naxalites "systematically destroyed" the foundations of rural development.
"While the Naxalites wielded guns and explosives in the jungles, their ideological cousins wielded influence in advisory councils blessed by the topmost Congress leadership. Most striking was the spectacle of India's then home minister publicly appealing to armed insurgents not to lay down their weapons, offering dialogue while they remained armed," the ruling party said, posting on X a video clip of P Chidamabaram's remarks.
The BJP said the influence of Naxalism has witnessed a "significant decline" with Prime Minister Modi empowering the home ministry to pursue a decisive strategy against the menace.
"For the first time, India has not only intensified operations but has publicly announced a timeline for effectively ending the Naxalite threat - a goal that now appears within reach," the party said.
"The influence of Naxalism has witnessed a significant decline since its peak in the late 2000s, when it impacted 180 districts across India. By 2024, this number reduced to just 38 districts, predominantly concentrated within the 'Red Corridor' in states such as Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Maharashtra, and Bihar," it added.
The BJP alleged Rahul Gandhi's "dangerous flirtation with Naxalite terrorism", saying the leader of the opposition continues to fuel "Naxalite sympathies" from the opposition benches.
Recently, security forces neutralised Madvi Hidma, one of the country's most wanted Maoist commanders, the party said.
"What followed shocked the nation: individuals identifying as environmentalists organised protests outside Delhi's India Gate, raised pro-Naxal slogans supporting the eliminated terrorist, and assaulted security personnel," it said .
"What warrants particular scrutiny is Rahul Gandhi's amplification of a video featuring these urban Naxals through his social media platforms," the BJP said, asking, "By doing so, is Rahul Gandhi providing institutional visibility and perhaps a tacit endorsement to such elements?"