Manmohan Singh visits Maoist attack victims in hospital, holds review meet

RAIPUR: Condemning the Maoist attack on a Congress rally in Chhattisgarh, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said that Maoism is a serious challenge to Indian democracy and joint efforts are being made to combat it.

"Maoist violence is a serious challenge to Indian democracy. The centre and Maoist-affected states are working together on the issue," Singh said while visiting the attack victims at Ramkrishna Care Hospital here.

The Prime Minister promised to provide every possible assistance to the Chhattisgarh government to deal with Maoist violence. He also urged people to rise above party politics to fight Maoism.

"The union government will provide every possible assistance to the Chhattisgarh government to deal with Maoists," Singh said, adding that people should rise above politics and ideologies to stand together Maoism.

After visiting victims of the attack, Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi went to the Congress Bhawan and paid tributes to the deceased and also visited family members of Congress leader Nand Kumar Patel, who died in the Maoist attack, to express their condolences.

The Prime Minister held a review meeting on the incident at the Governor's house which was attended by Sonia Gandhi, Governor Shekhar Dutt, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh and Union Minister of State for Home Affairs RPN Singh.