The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : People's War rejects CM's appeal, but assures restraint

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 09, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

People's War rejects CM's appeal, but assures restraint

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, JUNE 8. The CPI-ML People's War (PW) has rejected the Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy's appeal that its armed cadre should confine themselves to forest areas arguing that it has every right to propagate its ideology as a political party.

However, it has sought to assure the Government that its cadre will not resort to any `armed actions,' if Government forces also observe `restraint.'

In a statement sent to newspapers here on Tuesday, the PW State Committee secretary, Ramakrishna, said the Government should come out with unambiguous decisions to create a conducive atmosphere for holding meaningful talks. From its side the PW asserted that it was ready for observing a `simultaneous ceasefire' since cessation of armed conflict was a crucial component preceding the peace talks.

The PW leader wanted the Government to scrap the rewards announced on the heads of naxalite cadre on the lines of the decision to stop paying the reward money to policemen involved in encounters. "Withdrawing such rewards can create the right kind of atmosphere for holding talks," Ramakrishna felt.

Disputing the claim of the Home Minister, K. Jana Reddy, that combing operations and `harassment' of sympathisers had been stopped, he accused the police of playing the role of politicians. The `surrender drama' enacted in Hyderabad on June 6 where 32 members of the Pratighatana group was meant to scuttle the efforts to organise talks.

To support his argument that the police were out to scuttle the talks process, Ramakrishna pointed out that the `Azmapur' exchange of fire in Nalgonda was an assault launched by the police who were visiting the village under the garb of a `cultural troupe.'

"Our squad had repulsed the attack, but the DGP, S.R. Sukumara, maintained that we had opened fire on a police party. If we had started firing first, why would we lose out kit bags?" Ramakrishna questioned saying that `normal patrolling' by the police meant undertaking combing operations. He appealed to Mr. Jana Reddy to condemn the police statements and be transparent in his efforts to hold talks.

He also advised the Government to ensure that the police do not interfere in this process. Superintendents of Police of Nalgonda and Karimnagar districts and the DIG of Warangal Range should be transferred immediately, he said.

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