The Hindu : Karnataka News : End to anti-naxal operation ruled out

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jul 03, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka

End to anti-naxal operation ruled out

By Our Special Correspondent

SEDAM (GULBARGA DISTRICT), JULY 2. The Chief Minister, N. Dharam Singh, today ruled out a ceasefire or stopping operations against naxals in some parts of the State.

Addressing a press conference after a public reception organised at the Government Junior College Grounds here, Mr. Dharam Singh said the Government was interested in finding a solution to the issues raised by naxalites and had invited them for talks.

However, it would deal with any violence by naxalites as a law and order problem and act against them.

He said he met the Union Home Minister, Shivaraj Patil, recently in New Delhi and apprised him of the need to amend Article 371 of the Constitution to provide special reservation facilities in employment and education for the people of backward regions in the State.

He would soon lead an all-party delegation to the Prime Minister and Union Home Minister in this connection.

Budget on July 19

To a question, Mr. Dharam Singh said that the Budget, which would be presented on July 19, would be pro-people and would not burden the people with more taxes. However, he declined to disclose the details of the measures proposed in the budget.

The Chief Minister said that there was no need for constituting a coordination committee of the Congress and Janata Dal (S) for day-to-day administration and added that the understanding between the coalition partners was excellent.

Mr. Dharam Singh said the Common Minimum Programme of the coalition Government would be finalised on Sunday when the senior leaders of the Congress and Janata Dal (S) would meet in Bangalore to draft the document.

It would consist of all the promises made before the elections by the two parties and also contain the action plan for the implementation of the recommendations of the High-power Committee for Redressal of Regional Imbalances, headed by D. Nanjundappa.

He said allocation to the Hyderabad Karnataka Development Board, which had been downsized in the past two years, would be brought back to the "original level."

On increasing compensation from Rs. 1 lakh to Rs. 1.5 lakhs to families of farmers who committed suicide, as they were unable to repay their loans, Mr. Dharam Singh said the Government would consider this.

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