Southern States - Andhra Pradesh   

People's War ready for `political battle'

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD DEC. 6. The Telugu Desam Party's move to make naxalism the principal agenda in the coming Assembly polls is sought to be exploited by the CPI-ML People's War (PW), whose abortive attempt on the life of Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu on October 1, had hastened the process of elections in Andhra Pradesh.

The ultra-left extremist party has accepted the challenge thrown by Mr. Naidu and announced that it was prepared to wage a political battle, in addition to battles on the military and cultural fronts. "We are thankful to you for making naxalism the principal agenda thereby unwittingly providing us with an opportunity to send our political message to the masses...and to expose your political bankruptcy and unending lies", the PW Politburo member Prakash, asserted in a six-page statement issued here on Saturday.

Accusing Mr. Chandrababu Naidu of practising repressive tactics to suppress a people's movement, the PW warned that it would `repay these blood debts. How, when and where constitutes the essence of our guerrilla tactics. We shall strike at our own convenience, place and time of our choosing," Mr. Prakash said in his statement, which understandably was issued on the anniversary of formation of the People's Guerrilla Army (PGA).

In the hard-hitting statement, the PW representative dwelt at length on various issues ranging from the rationale behind the advanced Assembly polls to extra-judicial killings to "put the record straight regarding the truth behind the lies that your fascist TDP had been propagating endlessly.'' He maintained that Mr. Naidu had advanced the polls only because he knew his party would not even secure 40 per cent of seats if polls were held as per schedule.

Rebutting the TDP president's charge that the PW was indulging in `senseless violence' without any ideology, Mr. Prakash recalled that hundreds of his comrades were killed by the State. Supporting the `revolutionary violence,' he argued that theirs was only a `legitimate response, a counter-violence justified by all counts.' He made it clear that the PW will continue to `eliminate' those working against people. "We are fully justified in our determination to eliminate tyrants like you.''

On the TDP's poll plank of `development,' the PW questioned Mr. Naidu to state whose development was he referring to. Was it not a fact that maximum number of suicide deaths occurred in the State and the granary of South India became a wasteland. Rebutting the claim of practising `democratic practices,' Mr. Prakash challenged the Government to lift the ban on the PW, withdraw police from the rural areas and stop harassment of people who attended the PW meetings. Then `our local leadership will draw more masses than any of your top leaders including yourself in any of our areas.''

The PW leader accused Mr. Naidu of insulting vast majority of people in Telangana demanding a separate statehood, when they were being branded separatists. Declaring that a separate Telangana was a historic inevitability, Mr. Prakash asked the Government to hold a referendum on the issue. On the TDP's surmise that it can resolve the `naxalite problem' and develop the State if people gave mandate to the party, the PW pointed out that despite most `savage' repression, the extremist party became stronger all over the country.

Mr. Prakash, however, did not clarify the doubts on an earlier statement issued by the PW seeking to know the stand of the Congress on fake encounters and on the issue of naxalism. The Congress had expressed a doubt whether the PW had really issued the statement at all.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• Eight injured in police firing
• CBI arrests its officer on bribery charges
• FFW `irregularities': Minister taken aback
• People's War ready for `political battle'
• Congress faces rout in State: Dattateya
• Move for World Bank loan questioned
• Naxals blast TDP leader's house
• High drama marks arrest of CBI official
• Revolving funds for DWCRA groups urged
• Congress meet hints at subsidy raj

Copyright © 2003, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu