Chhattisgarh senior BJP leader and former minister Brijmohan Agrawal on Friday alleged that noted economist and social activist, working in Jharkhand, Jean Dreze was a conduit of Naxal urban network.

He, however, did not mention what was the basis of his allegation against a world renowned economist who had been working among the downtrodden people in India since the 1970s.

Agrawal also lambasted the state government over the bail granted to an alleged Naxal urban wing leader Nakka Rao, claiming that Maoists have infiltrated in the government.

He was addressing a press conference at party’s state headquarters here on Friday.

“It seems Chhattisgarh government has jeopardised the security of the state. Bail secured by N Venkat Rao alias Nakka Rao due to non-submission of challan by the police brings the state government under suspicion,” he said.

Rao alias Murty was arrested by police in Rajnandgaon district in December 2018 while he was on his way to Rajnandgaon from Deori in Maharashtra. Police had claimed that Rao an employee of the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) was a major link of Maoist urban network.

However, he got bail from court as police failed to present challan in the case.

On Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel reaction over the arrest of Dreze, the BJP leader said it only created doubt about the government’s intention.

“Comment of chief minister over an action taken by Jharkhand government against an important links of urban Naxals in Jharkhand Jean Dreze and the way he (chief minister’s) has gone back on his earlier stand that talks would be held only with Naxal-affected people to invite Naxals for talks has created doubt over the intention of the current regime in dealing with the security of the state,” Agrawal said.

It appears that Naxals infiltrated the government and were affecting state government’s policies, he claimed.

Agrawal demanded that election commission should check whether the Congress government was covertly getting assistance from Naxals.

He also demanded of the EC to make elaborate security arrangements for elections in the Naxal-hit Bastar region.

Agrawal further added that in the current political scenario in the whole country, people were collectively standing with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to bolster country’s internal and external security, for development.

The people want him to be elected as Prime Minister again, he said.