Gadchiroli deputy collector slams Chidambaram

source - ibn

New Delhi: A day after Home Minister P Chidambaram visited Gadchiroli, the deputy collector of the naxal-hit district went on record to say that such high-profile visitors never bring any solutions.
As bureaucrats have been making headlines for being involved in scams, the deputy collector from naxal-affected area in Gadchiroli district Rajendra Kanphade found himself in the eye of the storm by openly criticising the Home Minister.
“One has to know the issues of the people here, from ground. By sitting on a helicopter and planning inside an air conditioned room won't help. Paramilitary forces should be withdrawn immediately and if necessary, local police can be deployed after providing them better and more facilities,” said Kanphade.
Kanphade also said that the government was using guns instead of focusing on development.
“The Home Minister might have come here to solve the Naxal issue, I assume. It may not be fair to think that by his visit the situation will become better. The issue is being tried to solve using guns while the cause of the issue is development. The Home Minister discussed only about security and not on development. It should be either development of security or security for development,” he said.
Kanpadhe had grabbed headlines a few months ago when he volunteered to enter Maoist-infested Bhamragarh Taluk without security and came back unscathed. Clearly he has made a reputation as a rebel - but with a cause. The question now - will Kanphade be punished for speaking his mind.