BJP demands CBI probe into Azad encounter

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday used Union minister Mamata Banerjee's statement, questioning the encounter of Maoist leader Azad, to draw parallels with the Sohrabuddin case and demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry into the Naxal's death as well.

"The Sohrabuddin Sheikh encounter is an old case but government has ordered a CBI inquiry. We have demanded that a CBI inquiry should be ordered in the Azad encounter case too. A minister is saying that it is a case of murder," Deputy Leader of BJP in Lok Sabha Gopinath Munde said.

Azad was killed in an encounter in Adilabad in Andhra Pradesh. By questioning this encounter, albeit by using Banerjee's statement, the BJP intends to corner the Congress government in Andhra Pradesh.

The BJP may be intending at creating parallels between Azad's case and the Sohrabuddin encounter in Gujarat, where former Home Minister Amit Shah is in jail for his alleged role and the CBI is said to be closing in on Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

Taking the issue of Mamata's statement on Azad to Parliament, the opposition demanded suspension of question hour in both Houses and said a discussion on the matter should take place.

Looking to pull the rug from under the Congress' feet, the BJP did not mince words regarding Banerjee and was highly critical of the Union minister's alleged support to Maoists at the Trinamool Congress's Lalgarh rally on Monday.

"The rally was supported by banned organisations and appeals to support it were issued by Maoist leaders. And, while the Central government has launched 'Operation Greenhunt' in Naxal-affected districts and has called for a united action plan, a minister of this government is saying this should be stopped," Munde said.

He also said that Banerjee was against use of guns to fight Maoists.

"Naxalism is not just Naxalism now. It is terrorism. We are against Naxalism. They are looting trains..." Munde said.