PCC committee to look into Maoist threat to Congress

With Maoists reportedly asking Congress in Jharkhand to raise its voice against the stepped up operation against the ultras or 'face action', the JPCC today set up a five-member committee to look into the threat.

"The extremists have threatened action against Congressmen if they don't oppose the anti-Maoist operation. The Maoists have executed their threat by killing the Congress' Dalbhumgarh block president last week," a JPCC release said.

Some Congressmen in Palamau resigned recently for fear of the Maoists, it said adding extremism has taken a serious shape in Jharkhand prompting PCC President Pradeep Kumar Balmachu to set up the committee.

The committee comprises of former deputy chief minister Stephen Marandi, Rajya Sabha member Dhiraj Prasad Sahu, Minority Commission Chairman Gulfam Mujibi and ex-MLAs Radhakrishna Kishore (convenor) and Niel Tirkey.

After getting the committee's report a delgation headed by the PCC president would meet prime minister Manmohan Singh, AICC president Sonia Gandhi and home minister P Chidambaram and would apprise them of the problems arising out of the increasing Maoist menace in Jharkhand, the release said.