In a highly charged political accusation, Bharatiya Janata Party national president JP Nadda claimed on Monday that individuals within the Congress party conspired with Maoist insurgents to orchestrate the deadly 2013 Jhiram Ghati massacre in Chhattisgarh. The attack resulted in the deaths of 32 people, including top Congress leaders.
Explosive Allegations at Janadesh Parab Rally
Addressing a large gathering at a Janadesh Parab rally in Janjgir-Champa district, Nadda stated he was leading the BJP's state unit at the time of the ambush on May 25, 2013. He asserted he had closely monitored the case's developments. "Let me say this with full responsibility: no one else was giving information and inside details about the Jhiram valley case. People from within were involved in getting their own people killed and were in contact with the Naxalites," Nadda alleged.
He further remarked, "When protectors turn predators, the common people suffer the most." The Maoist attack targeted a convoy of Congress members returning from the party's Parivartan Yatra between Sukma and Jagdalpur. The high-profile victims included:
- Then state Congress chief Nand Kumar Patel
- Former opposition leader Mahendra Karma
- Former Union minister Vidyacharan Shukla
Contrasting Policies and a 2026 Deadline
Nadda contrasted what he described as a history of Congress governments compromising with Maoists with the "decisive action" taken by the "double-engine" BJP governments at the Centre and in Chhattisgarh. He cited security achievements under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai.
He provided specific figures to back his claims: nearly 2,500 Maoists have surrendered in the past two years, 1,853 have been arrested, and top commanders like Madvi Hidma and Basavaraju have been neutralized. Nadda made a bold assertion, stating that the push to eliminate the Maoist insurgency has gained unprecedented momentum and that left-wing extremism in Chhattisgarh would be "finished by March 2026." He credited the firm on-ground execution of the Centre's integrated security and development plan for this progress.
Congress Retort: Demand for Proof and Apology
The Congress party reacted swiftly and sharply to the allegations. Chhattisgarh Congress functionary Sushil Anand Shukla labeled Nadda's statements as "objectionable" and demanded concrete proof.
"Congress demands that the NIA question Nadda over his claim. He has torn apart all limits of political decorum. He must apologise and BJP should act against him for this statement," Shukla stated. He emphasized that making such serious charges without evidence was, in the party's view, "an insult to the martyrs" of the Jhiram Ghati tragedy. The party has formally called for a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into Nadda's claims.
The exchange marks a significant escalation in political rhetoric in Chhattisgarh, reopening the wounds of one of the state's most tragic political attacks and setting the stage for a fierce partisan battle over security, legacy, and accountability.
