Noting that Naxalism was a result of complex set of circumstances, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said political connectivity should be ensured to bring Naxals into the mainstream.

“Poverty is certainly one thing and in this country we have to ensure political connectivity so that the people can be part of the national political mainstream and efforts should be directed towards that,” Gandhi told a press conference in Kolkata.

“If we give them political connectivity, they will be able to join the mainstream,” he said. Asked if Naxals wanted to join the Youth Congress during the membership drive, he replied,”All are welcome except criminals and fundamentalists. If it is a Naxal who has killed 50 people, he is a criminal. So you get my point. “The difference between me and the Maoists is that I don’t kill people, but the Maoists do,” he said.

To a question, Gandhi disagreed with the view that Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee had sided openly with the Maoists. “To say that Mamata Banerjee has openly sided with the Maoists is wrong. She has struggled a lot in Bengal for a long time. And, we respect her for that,” he said.