The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Ceasefire with naxals extended

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Sep 16, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Ceasefire with naxals extended

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, SEPT. 15. The ceasefire being observed by the Government and naxalites in the light of the present dialogue for peace, has been extended.

The Home Minister, K. Jana Reddy, said here on Wednesday that the ceasefire would last till the Government decided on direct talks with naxalite leaders removing all the bottlenecks such as allowing the People's War cadres to carry weapons while moving round villages.

The ceasefire, which was announced on June 16 on the eve of the talks, would have lapsed today. The Minister said the extension was indefinite as they did not know when the direct talks would be held. He said the `weapons issue' would be discussed at the next Cabinet meeting on Friday.

Mr Reddy said the Government would not say anything if naxalites carried weapons but it would act if they held meetings in villages and undertook propaganda with weapons.

Aid sought

The Minister denied reports that the State Government, present or past, had sought Rs 300 crores to 400 crores from the Centre for combating naxalites. He said the amount was meant for modernising police stations with computers, etc.

Asked if the Government would permit the People's War to organise a public meeting in Hyderabad as was reportedly planned by the outfit, the Minister said it would have no objection if such an exercise did not cause any inconvenience to citizens.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh

News Update

Stories in this Section