Rahul Gandhi today attacked the BJP government in Chhattisgarh for its failure to act against Maoists responsible for killing many Congress leaders in May.
Addressing a rally of tribals in Naxal-hit Bastar region, the first after the May 25 Maoist bloodbath that had virtually wiped out Congress leadership in the state, he said the party's leaders were massacred to "silence the voice" of common people.
"Thirty-two people were killed (in the Maoist attack), where was the government? The tallest Opposition leader was killed, where was the government? When the leaders of tribals are not safe, what about masses," he asked.
"I rushed to Chhattisgarh after I got to know about the tragedy... Why I did so despite many people advising against me it... Because I knew your voice was being suppressed. I could not have allowed it," he told the Adivasi Adhikar Mahasammelan (grand meeting for tribal rights) here.
Putting the state government in the dock over the incident, Rahul asked what was it doing when so many leaders were being killed.
Maoists had ambushed a convoy of Congress leaders in Bastar, killing 27 people including state Congress chief Nand Kumar Patel, his son Dinesh, senior Congress leader Mahendra Karma, V C Shukla and ex-MLA Uday Mudaliyar.
Congress, Rahul said, believes in empowering people and running the country "along with you" but the Opposition thinks "one, two or three persons" can rule the country.
He said Congress is hopeful of coming back to power in the state, which is under BJP rule for past 10 years. He has been making efforts to bring some unity in the faction-ridden state unit for the purpose.
