The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Talks begin on cautionary note

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Saturday, Oct 16, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Talks begin on cautionary note

By W.Chandrakanth

The naxal group emissaries (from left) - Chandranna, Srinivasa Rao, Varavara Rao, Gadar and G. Kalyan Rao - at MCR Human Resource Development Institute in Hyderabad on Friday.

HYDERABAD, OCT. 15. Differences apart in their respective agendas, the Andhra Pradesh Government on one hand and the CPI (Maoist) and Janashakti on the other, began their talks here on Friday on a cautionary note.

Only one concern dominated the proceedings on day one and this is likely to remain a constant when both sides address themselves seriously to the challenges ahead. The constant factor is "People" !

Agenda unveiled

Representatives of the revolutionary parties read out their agenda - creation of a democratic atmosphere, halt to human rights violations, land distribution, social concerns, economic disparities, corruption and scams, right to education, employment and social welfare.

The backdrop of their argument was the policy of deprivation caused by the World Bank agenda and the neo-economic and imperialist policies that aided and abetted it. Again, they made it clear that be it armed struggle or the negotiation process the end product has to be empowerment of people in the real sense.

Means different

No different from it was the Government agenda, except for differing on the means to be adopted to reach the goal. Struggles were welcome, but those ought to be within the framework of the established democratic conventions. The Government tried to convince the naxalite leaders that in inviting the underground leaders for talks, the ruling party was honouring not only its pre-election commitment but also the mandate of the people.

Talks with naxalites was one of the key points of the party manifesto, hence it was treating the mandate as one, which was in favour of talks. There was a shortcoming, however, it cautioned them and said that was because of its commitment to democratic norms. The Government said that it was its bounden duty to impose the law of the land.

People have a right to fight against injustice and wage protracted struggles - democratically. They can even change the Governments - through the ballot. "Of the people, by the people and for the people," there was no disagreement from both the sides on this.

However, the hitch was is not in this, but the spirit of accommodation that was being tested on the first day. How much one could give and to what an extent one could part with was being explored. The revolutionaries and the negotiators preferred reading between the lines. Differences were there, but it was important to allow the peace process to get strengthened and make it last longer.

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