The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Top naxal leaders to skip meet

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Sep 30, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Top naxal leaders to skip meet

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, SEPT. 29. The stage is set for the first-ever public meeting to be organised directly by the People's War at Nizam College grounds here on Thursday. Another naxal outfit, Janashakti, is the co-sponsor.

The meeting will be preceded by a major procession from Indira Park starting at 3 p.m. However, none of the underground leaders of PW or Janashakti will attend the meeting.

5 lakh expected

One of the PW emissary for talks, Varavara Rao, said if the police did not create any obstacles the turnout could be well over five lakhs. He alleged that the police detained lorries, threatened their owners and snatched the RC books from drivers to dissuade a large attendance. This was despite a firm assurance from the Home Minister that there would be no hindrance from police.

Review by YSR

Mr. Rao and others had three rounds of meetings with top city police officials during the day. The Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, personally reviewed the arrangements with the police top brass. The meeting titled `Peace, self-reliance and land to tiller' will be presided over by Ganganna, a former Guntur district committee member of the PW. Prempati, a retired professor from Delhi, K. R. Chowdary, an agriculture economist, and Bojja Tarakam, advocate, will also speak.

Artistes of the Jana Natya Mandali (JNM) and Arunodaya, cultural troupes of PW and Janashakti, will perform on the occasion.

Last meeting in 1974

Mr. Rao said the last time a public meeting under the PW flag (then CPI-ML Central Organising Committee) was organised in 1974. The PW founder, Kondapalli Seetaramaiah, floated the COC. The balladeer, Gadar, entered public life after a five-year underground movement with PW at a major congregation organised by JNM at Nizam College grounds in February 1990. This was the last meeting organised by naxals in the city.

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