Thursday, January 26 2006 11:55 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Patna: Condemning Republic Day eve Naxalite attacks targetting railways and police property, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today (Jan 26,2006) said that those trying to capture power through violence would never succeed.

''The Naxalite attacks are highly deplorable. Those who dream of capturing power through violence will never succeed. If they have the courage, they should contest elections,''Kumar told reporters after the Republic Day function at the historic Gandhi Maidan.

''The people are committed to democracy. Nobody can climb to the top seat of power through violence,'' he said condemning destruction of national property by Communist Party of India (CPI) Maoist (M) rebels, who have called a 'Bharat bandh' today, on the eve of Republic Day.

Asked if the attacks, particularly on railway property, despite the state-wide alert did not reflect the inefficiency of the police force, Kumar, also a former railway minister, said, ''Railway property has always been a soft target. It is not possible to provide security at every inch of 67,000 km of railway lines.''

Deprecating such attacks on the railways, the Chief Minister said, ''The Naxalites are doing a great disservice to the people. They are free to propagate their ideology but nobody can be allowed to indulge in violence.''