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Every reference to Chhattigarh’s Bastar region comes with the haunting memory of the 2013 Naxal attack. Its brutality was such that nearly all the Congress leaders from the area were killed in the attack.
Ahead of Assembly elections, The Quint visited the Naxal-affected areas of Chhattisgarh to understand the plight of the victims of the Jeeram Ghati attack. We spoke to Devti Karma, the Congress’ Dantewada candidate and the widow of the late Congress leader Mahendra Karma who died in the 2013 attack, about politics and more.
In a hard-hitting response to BJP President Amit Shah’s allegation that the Congress was a ‘Naxal connection’, Devti said, “BJP has led to the formation of Naxals. It is strengthening them. The BJP is responsible for the attacks on citizens.”
Devti also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of making false promises and deceiving people. She said, “Modi ji makes big promises. In his speeches, he claims to have done a lot of development for the poor and having made the country Naxal-free. He claims to have given them good facilities. (But) What facilities is he talking about? You should go and see for yourself.”
He said Modi will give us Rs 15 lakh each. We didn’t get even 15 paise; he lies a lot. The public forms the government. Modi will not form the government alone.Devti Karma, Congress candidate, Dantewada, Chhattisgarh
Elections for 90 seats in Chhattisgarh will be contested in two phases. Polling in the 18 Naxal-affected constituencies will be held on 12 November.
This article was originally published on Quint Hindi
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