NAC under Sonia was body for supporting maoism: BJP
New Delhi, Sep 4 : Accusing the Congress of patronising and funding the maoists, the BJP said on Monday that the now-defunct National Advisory Council (NAC), headed by Sonia Gandhi during the previous UPA regime, was the body for "supporting naxalism".
BJP Spokesperson Sambit Patra told the media that Congress mainstreamed maoism during its tenure and suggested that the party should rename itself as "Indian National Congress (Maoist)" or the "Congress Party of Maoists".
"National security is an issue of paramount importance and to play with it only for political opportunism is something which the Congress has always been doing. In this trail we have another letter written to comrade Surendra by comrade Prakash on September 25 which contained a phone number of former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh," Patra said.
Besides the telephone number, there's also a reference in the letter which said "Congress leaders are very much willing to assist in this process and have also agreed to fund for further agitations whenever such opportunity is arrived. In this regard you can contact at our friend the number..."
Patra claimed that the mobile number mentioned was of Rahul Gandhi's guru Digvijay Singh. "He has not yet denied that this was not his number," he said.
Referring to Digvijay Singh's remarks, which created controversies after the Batla House encounter, 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks and Zakir Naik arrest warrant, Patra said the Congress has always been at the forefront of manufacturing agitations.
"We can say that confusion, conspiracy and Congress are synonymous. They have always adopted a double standard on the issue of maoism. Manmohan Singh (former prime minister) had said that maoism was a grave threat to internal security. But there were some who have romanticised the maoism within the Congress and the biggest example of it was the coterie closest to then Congress President Sonia Gandhi, called the NAC," he said.
The BJP Spokesperson said that the NAC, which was the brainchild of Sonia Gandhi, "in fact was a ground for supporting Naxalism".
He claimed that A. Padma, the wife of a top naxal leader A. Hargopal alias Ramakrishna, was made in charge of an orphanage named 'Aman Vedika' of Harsh Mander, an important member of NAC. We all know how close he was to Sonia Gandhi. She was one among the eight maoists, who were freed to save the life of abducted Malkangiri collector in 2011.
He said Binayak Sen, who was convicted for sedition in 2010, was appointed in Planning Commission and in most important body - the steering committee on health.
Patra claimed former union minister Jairam Ramesh had written a letter to then Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavhan for the release of Mahesh Raut, a maoist, who was arrested due to his maoist links.
"This was mainstreaming of maoism under Congress. Why did Congress have so much love for convicted maoists," he said accusing Congress of compromising with national security.
"Very humbly, we would give an advise to you also. Please rename yourself. Either you call yourself Indian National Congress (Maoist) or Congress Party of Maoists because this is the way you are behaving. You should approach the election commission and ask them that you want to be called INC(M) or CPM," he said.
He also hit out at Digvijay Singh, asking Why is it that underground maoists seem to have fusion with Congress.
"Why Digvijay Singh appears to be speaking for maoists. How long the Congress will continue to play with national security," he asked.
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SC asks states to treat rising child trafficking cases as grave; seeks coordinated action
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court has voiced grave concern over rising cases of child trafficking, saying gangs are operating across the country and if States and Union territories do not take immediate action, thing will go beyond control.
The court said only the state government and its home department can act vigilantly in this regard.
“As a court we can monitor, but ultimately the action has to be on the part of the state government, the police, and other agencies. Therefore, this is our humble request”, a bench comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and K V Viswanathan said during the hearing of a plea on Wednesday.
The bench was irked over the "lackadaisical" approach of several states and UTs in implementing a 2025 judgment aimed at dismantling organised trafficking networks.
Justice Viswanathan said the retrieval of children in some cases proves the problem can be tackled, but it requires a level of political and administrative will which is lacking at present.
The verdict, delivered on April 15, 2025, had mandated several institutional reforms, including completion of trials in trafficking cases within six months on a day-to-day basis.
It had also directed strengthening of Anti-Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs) and improving investigation standards.
Besides asking for setting up of state-level committees to monitor vulnerable trafficking hotspots, it had asked the authorities to treat missing children cases as trafficking unless proven otherwise.
Earlier, the bench had termed the compliance reports filed by a few states as "nothing but an eye wash."
On Wednesday, the bench noted that Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Haryana, Lakshadweep, Mizoram, Odisha, and Punjab had still failed to file reports in the prescribed format.
When the home secretary of Madhya Pradesh offered an apology for the lapse, the bench granted a "final opportunity" but warned that continued failure would lead to states being officially branded as "defaulting".
The bench noted that at least 15 states are yet to constitute review committees mandated to identify and monitor trafficking-prone areas.
The matter will now be heard on April 29.
