PM directs ministers not to comment on Naxal issue

Not only did Prime Minister Manmohan Singh reject Union Home Minister P Chidambaram letter of resignation, but the PM also stood solidly behind him, by directing Cabinet Secretary K M Chandrasekhar to write to all Union ministries not to criticise the government's handling of the Maoist issue and not to vent their feelings on Left-wing extremism in public fora.

Dr Singh just before he left for US, asked Chandrasekhar to address a letter to the council of ministers directing them to speak in one voice and desist from commenting on issues not directly related to their ministries.

He made it clear that Chidambaram was the only person authorised to comment on issues related to internal security.

Many Congress Working Committee members have presented their views in writing and in person to the PM, including Digvijay Singh.

Once many criticisms directed at Chidambaram and Singh was that the PM was more keen to be briefed on the Nuclear Security Summit than the Naxal massacre at Dantewada.

Singh took the opportunity to silence Chidambaram's critics like Railways Minister Mamata Banerjee and Union Minister for Food Processing Subodh Kant Sahay.

Image: A copy of the letter sent by KM Chandrasekhar to the council of ministers.