Odishatv Bureau
New Delhi: BJP on Wednesday termed as a "setback to national security" the Supreme Court judgement on Naxalism, that restrained the Chhattisgarh government and the Centre from appointing and arming tribals as Special Police Officers.

"While the BJP is studying the Supreme Court judgement on Naxalism, it is a setback to national security," said BJP spokesman Shahnawaz Hussain.

Hussain said, "Naxalism is a big threat to national security and the morale of naxals was high, of late. The nation is worried over naxalism and terrorism."

The BJP leader said, "Naxals were not just against the state government, but against India as a whole. They just had their headquarters based in Chhattisgarh, as it suited them geographically."

The Apex Court had yesterday restrained the Chhattisgarh government and the Centre from appointing tribals as Special Police Officers and arming them to counter Maoists, and termed the step of appointing tribal youths as SPOs as "unconstitutional".

Hussain said the Government is fighting a battle against them in six states in cooperation with the state governments and there was no politics played on the issue of naxalism.

Hussain said, "When naxalism started, it was considered as a voice against poverty and injustice, but it has now lost direction. Today, naxalism was opposing all programmes aimed at removing poverty. They are killing innocent and common people and are violating their human rights."

The BJP leader hoped that the Centre would hold a discussion on how to fight naxalism, in the wake of the latest Apex Court judgement. "We are studying the judgement and will act later".

Asking the Chhattisgarh government and the Centre to desist from appointing the tribals as Special Police Officers (SPOs) and arming them for countering the Naxals in any manner directly or indirectly, the court had said the appointment of tribal youths as SPOs is "unconstitutional".

The SC bench had said the eligibility criteria including the educational qualification and training of tribals to combat Maoists went against the provisions of statues and the Constitution.

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