The BJP has spoken out against the Congress, claiming that the opposition party is supporting Naxals for political gains. The BJP's national spokesperson, Shehzad Poonawalla, criticized Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate for her comments following the encounter in Chhattisgarh, where Naxals were killed by security personnel. Poonawalla accused Shrinate of sympathizing with the Naxals and undermining the efforts of the security forces by referring to the extremists as "martyrs."
The encounter in Kanker, Chhattisgarh, resulted in the highest number of Naxal fatalities in a single operation in the history of the state's fight against Left Wing Extremism. Poonawalla emphasized the significance of this operation as a major achievement for the security forces in tackling the Naxal menace that has persisted in the region for decades. He criticized the Congress for not acknowledging the efforts of the security forces and instead appearing to align with the Naxals by questioning the operation and advocating for a thorough investigation into the incident.
The BJP leader accused the Congress of supporting Naxals due to their electoral setbacks and highlighted the contrast in approaches between the two parties. Poonawalla claimed that Congress's stance on the encounter reflects their desperation to oppose Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP, even if it means siding with individuals involved in extremist activities. The clash between the BJP and Congress over the handling of the Chhattisgarh operation underscores the political tensions surrounding issues of national security and counterterrorism strategies in India.