Congress condemns Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district, calls Raman Singh's govt 'incompetent'

New Delhi: Condemning the Maoist attack in poll-bound Chhattisgarh in which two police personnel and a Doordarshan News cameraman were killed, the Congress Tuesday expressed its condolences and said people were determined to oust the Raman Singh government from the state. While Congress president Rahul Gandhi said the attack in the state’s Dantewada district had saddened him, the party’s chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala paid tributes to the deceased and termed the BJP government in the state “incompetent and worthless”. Two policemen were also injured in the attack near Nilavaya village, about 450 km from the state capital Raipur. [caption id=“attachment_4216001” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. AFP[/caption] Chief Minister Raman Singh has described the ambush as a cowardly act by Naxals who are against democracy and development and have acted out of desperation. Expressing his sorrow and condolences, the Congress chief said on Twitter, “I express my sorrow and deep condolences to the families of the two policemen and Doordarshan cameraman killed in the attack.” Surjewala paid tributes to the deceased and said the people of Naxal-hit Chhattisgarh had made up their mind to oust the “incompetent and worthless government of Chief Minister Raman Singh”. “A coward and scared Raman Singh has no right to be the chief minister even for a minute now,” said Surjewala. Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma described the attack as disturbing and said  the BJP government in the state and the central government could have made elaborate arrangements ahead of elections in the state. Hitting out at the government, he cited Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s claim of having curbed Naxalism. “The attack took place around 11 am in a forest area near Nilavaya village. The Maoists ambushed a squad of local police who were carrying out patrol duties on motorcycles from the Sameli camp towards Nilavaya,” said Deputy Inspector General (anti-Naxal operations) Sundarraj P. “A three-member team of Doordarshan was travelling for election-related news coverage at the same time and was caught in the cross-fire,” he said. Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore has strongly condemned the attack and said the insurgents won’t be able to weaken the government’s resolve. “Strongly condemn the Naxal attack on Doorshan crew in Dantewada. Deeply saddened by the demise of our cameraman Achyuta Nanda Sahu and two CRPF jawans. These insurgents will not weaken our resolve. We will prevail,” the minister tweeted.