New Delhi:
The Home Minister, P Chidambaram, says he accepts "full responsibility" for India's worst-ever Naxal attack on Monday, in which 76 jawans were killed in Chhattisgarh. Sources say that earlier this week, Chidambaram also wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and offered to resign over the massacre. (
Read: Chidambaram on Naxal attack: Something went very wrong)
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has rejected Chidambaram's offer to resign.
Addressing the media on Friday, Senior Congress Leader, Dr Abhishek Manu Singhvi said, "If the Home Minister has taken responsibility, it is commendable although his resignation will not be accepted."
At a function on Friday to honour Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans Chidambaram said: "I have been asked directly but not indirectly where does the buck stop for what happened in Dantewada. There is no hesitation in saying that the buck stops at my desk. I accept full responsibility for what happened in Dantewada." (
Read & watch: Chidambaram: Buck stops with me, take full responsibility)
He added, "Immediately after my return from Chhattisgarh I called the PM and gave it in writing that I take full responsibility of what happened. But he has said he "will not elaborate further on contents of letter."
Government sources say that there's no question of the Home Minister's offer to resign being accepted.
The sources said Chidambaram also wrote a separate letter to Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
Over the last few days, "the buck stops" has become a polemical catch-phrase hurled publicly by politicians on the Naxal issue.
First, Chidambaram said "The buck stops with the Chief Minister" in reference to the West Bengal state government after he visited Lalgarh, the Naxal stronghold in West Bengal. Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, the West Bengal Chief Minister, took strong exception to Chidambaram's language. Then BJP leader Arun Jaitley said "The buck stops with the Home Minister." (
Read: Buddha strikes back over Chidambaram's language)
On Monday, jawans of the Central Reserve Police Force were returning from a "sanitizing operation" in the forests of Dantewada in Chhattisgarh when they were ambushed by hundreds of Naxals who opened fire. Positioned on hilltops, the Naxals struck swiftly; jawans who tried to seek refuge near trees in the thick forests were killed in landmine blasts.(
Read: 76 security men killed by Naxals in Chhattisgarh)