The Hindu : Arming people will not help: BJP

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 18, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Arming people will not help: BJP

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, FEB.17. The State Bharatiya Janata Party is opposed to the Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu's idea of providing arms to people as a means of countering naxalite violence.

Replying to questions at a press conference here on Tuesday, the BJP president, N. Indrasena Reddy, the vice-president, S.V.Seshagiri Rao, and the official spokespersons, K.Laxman and G.Kishan Reddy, said that it was for the Government to take appropriate measures for resolving the naxalite problem. "We are not endorsing that policy of giving arms to the people," they said.

The BJP leaders criticised the Congress and Left parties for failing to condemn the attacks being carried out by People's War extremists on the cadres and leaders of the TDP and the BJP, saying it was not "good for democracy". All political parties should condemn such attacks and the threats being issued to BJP and TDP leaders that they would not be allowed to campaign and that they would be killed, they said.

They found fault with civil rights organisations for maintaining silence on the issue and referred to reports that TDP and BJP leaders had quit in Adilabad district in the wake of an ultimatum issued by the People's War. They said the political system would be in danger if political parties failed to keep the larger issue of democracy in view while talking on the naxalite issue.

Stating that most of the victims of naxalite violence were poor people, they urged the State Government to publish white paper on the vandalism and destruction of public properties by naxalites since 1967. It should highlight how the violence was affecting the progress and development of the State.

The BJP leaders took objection to the remarks made by the All India Congress Committee spokesperson, S. Jaipal Reddy, against the BJP president, M. Venkaiah Naidu, and demanded apology from him. Reminding Mr. Reddy of the tirade he had let loose against the "Congress dynasty" and the former Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi, on the Bofors issue earlier, they wanted Mr.Reddy to clarify how he was defending the same party now.

They ridiculed the claim of the TRS leader, K. Chandrashekhara Rao, that the BJP would be wiped out in Telangana in the event of an electoral tie-up between the TRS and the Congress, saying he had no moral right to talk as he had surrendered "Telangana sentiment to Italy".

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Andhra Pradesh