The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Naxals say `no' to talks with officials

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Aug 01, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Naxals say `no' to talks with officials

By Santosh Patnaik

VISAKHAPATNAM, JULY 31. The State Government may get the signatures of the CPI-- People's War (Marxist-Leninist) and the Janshakti on the `ceasefire agreement' anytime.

The emissaries nominated by the PW, who sent the copy of the agreement to the PW leadership, say that talks are expected to begin once the Government names its emissaries for talks. They, however, have made it very clear that no IAS or IPS officer, serving or retired, is acceptable to them and the Government should nominate only `political persons' with the approval of the ML parties.

As the PW announced the ceasefire for three months from June 16, it will stick to it and extend the deadline as and when required. "The major hitch witnessed so far is the delay in withdrawing rewards announced by the Government on naxalites,'' the revolutionary poet and one of the three PW emissaries, Varavara Rao, told The Hindu .

Except deleting the photo of the CPI PW (ML) secretary, Ramakrishna, from the most-wanted naxalite list, other names still figured on the Government website. This allows the police to get reward in the event of the killing of a naxalite in an `encounter' or his surrender, he alleged.

Withdrawal of cases

Disputing reports in a section of the media, he said that withdrawal of criminal cases registered against him and two other PW emissaries by the Warangal Police was not a pre-condition for talks. However, he felt that cases should be withdrawn to avoid vitiating the climate.

Mr. Varavara Rao said that at no point did they promise to the Home Minister, K. Jana Reddy, that the naxalites would give up arms. "We have only promised that they will not carry arms while taking up political campaigning during the ceasefire period,'' he emphasised.

Safe passage

To a question, Mr. Rao disclosed that the Government had agreed to give a `safe passage' to the top leaders of the PW, who would take part in the talks. ``When, where and how the PW leaders will come is not yet decided,'' he said, adding that there was no plan to hold `secret' talks.

The revolutionary poet said that he along with balladeer Gadar and the Virasam president, Kalyan Rao, would act as facilitators for arranging talks between the Government and the PW.

"We have finalised the agenda and sent the ceasefire copy to the naxalite leadership,'' he stated.

To a pointed question whether they were advocating division of the State into Telangana, Rayalaseema and Dandakaranya (for North Andhra), he said the ML parties had already made their position clear on Telangana and Rayalaseema.

Special package

During the talks, they would demand a special package for North Andhra as the proposed Dandakaranya State would comprise the Girijan areas of Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.

The agenda drafted by the three emissaries would include a judicial probe into `fake encounters', release of political prisoners, scrapping of POTA and the Public Security Act, registration of cases under the SC and ST Atrocities (prevention) Act against the accused in the Tsunduru and Karamchedu carnages.

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