The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Peace talks delicately poised, says Jana

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Aug 16, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Peace talks delicately poised, says Jana

By Our Staff Reporter

NALGONDA, AUG. 15. The process of peace talks with the People's War has reached the "semi-final stage,'' the Home Minister, K. Jana Reddy, has said.

Speaking to reporters at the R&B guest house after participating in the Independence day celebrations here on Sunday, Mr. Jana Reddy said all sections of society were desirous of making the peace talks a success.

He was evasive in his reply when reporters sought to know as to when would be the finals. "Finals would be played after the semi-finals,'' he said avoiding giving specific timeframe. To another question, however, he said the peace talks could be fruitful and violence could be on the wane by the next Independence Day celebrations.

Later, during the luncheon meeting with scribes, he said: "I want to find myself in the history by making the peace talks a success. That is what all I want now.''

Police urban districts

The Government was contemplating creating five new police urban districts in the State.

"Instead of opening commissionerates, we want to create urban districts in Guntur, Rajahmundry, Kurnool, Tirupati and Warangal,'' Mr. Jana Reddy said. He said the Government had decided to release 1,335 prisoners, including 602 lifers, for the first time in the last three decades. "As many as 1,050 prisoners will be released by this evening and the remaining would be released as early as possible after going through their cases,'' he added.

Asked whether Ganesh, the naxal who had killed the then MP, Magunta Subbarami Reddy, was one among them, the Home Minister did not give a direct reply. "I don't know whether the person you are referring would meet the parameters we set to release prisoners. I can furnish the list of prisoners to be released, if you want. Then you can check the names of those that belong to you,'' he quipped.

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