The Hindu : Naidu `clarifies' on arming civilians

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

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Naidu `clarifies' on arming civilians

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, FEB. 17. The Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, has made a virtual retraction of his controversial statement on supplying arms to people to fight naxalites and has accused the Opposition of distorting his views and making a hue and cry over it.

All he had said was that the Government would consider providing weapons to those who required protection from extremists. He made this offer at Rapollu village in Ranga Reddy district on a specific request by locals to arm persons with high threat perception like Krishnaji who was gunned down at his residence by naxalites last week.

"There is no question of the Government giving weapons to people by and large. There is also no proposal to constitute village defence squads," Mr. Naidu asserted in response to a question about a proposal to this effect mooted by his Cabinet colleague, K. Vijayarama Rao.

Speaking to presspersons here today, the Chief Minister also hastened to clarify that he had never called for a public debate on giving arms to people. He had only suggested a debate on providing weapons to the "protectees.'' To a query, he said only those "protectees'' who had the capacity to safeguard their weapons from naxalites could be armed.

Stating that he wanted to set the record straight on the issue, he regretted that the Opposition had completely twisted his statement without uttering a word of condemnation of violence by naxalites who were killing only Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders. While he did not mean they should kill leaders of other parties, all political parties had the responsibility to oppose the violence.

Mr. Naidu said he was least wary of the TDP's prospects being affected in Telangana by the unholy alliance between the Congress and the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS). In fact, people would see through their game of coming to power by hook or by crook and teach the Congress a lesson in coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema as well.

The TDP chief also ruled out the possibility of any coalition Government being formed in Andhra Pradesh since it had never happened in the State's 48-year-old history. People had given a one-sided verdict in all the Assembly elections and he was sure that the Congress party's strength would reduce.

"If people give lesser seats to the Opposition, the nuisance will be less. The Opposition has obstructed every programme of mine, including Janmabhoomi, which has been liked by people," he said.

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