The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : It takes time to act on naxals' demands: Jana

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Nov 22, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

It takes time to act on naxals' demands: Jana

Our Staff Reporter

VISAKHAPATNAM, NOV. 21. The Home Minister, K. Jana Reddy, has said that the Government requires some more time to act on some of the issues raised by the Communist Party of India (Maoist) and the Janashakti during the talks.

While reiterating the Government's resolve to continue the dialogue, he made it clear that the naxals should not carry arms during the talks' period.

"Moving around with arms and maintaining that they will come to the talks carrying arms is against law," he told reporters after inaugurating the State Police Duty Meet on Sunday.

Dialogue only way

Mr. Jana Reddy said no date had been fixed for the second round of talks. No decision was taken on holding the talks in Visakhapatnam as was proposed. However, notwithstanding the delay that might take place, the process would continue, he asserted. The Government was committed to ushering in peace through dialogue, he said. He denied the naxals' charge that the Government was disturbing the process. On the other hand, it was the naxals who were taking over land by pitching red flags in fields.

Jail incident

Mr. Reddy said an inquiry had been ordered into the suicide attempt of three prisoners at the Warangal jail. The three were life convicts. A preliminary probe found that their behaviour was defiant. While 1,159 prisoners were not levelling any charges, pointing fingers at authorities by these three persons was giving room for suspicion, he felt. They were being shifted from Warangal to Hyderabad, he said. However, if the inquiry found the jail staff guilty, they would be punished.

On the allegations of the IPS officer, Anjana Sinha, retaining two weapons surrendered by an aide of the Telugu Desam MLA, Paritala Ravi, Mr. Jana Reddy said a report had been submitted to the Director-General of Police (DGP) by the Hyderabad Police Commissioner, R.P. Singh. Action would depend on the DGP's observations.

Earlier, Mr. Jana Reddy inaugurated the 47th State Police Duty Meet-2004 at the Police Stadium and took the guard of honour. He said the meet would help the police improve their professional skills, expertise and individual merit. The Government would reward police suitably for their hard work.

The DGP, S.R. Sukumara, said the meet enabled the police improve their efficiency. The Additional DGP (Welfare), M. Alagar, the Commissioner of Police, B. Prasada Rao, the Andhra Region IG, Gopinatha Reddy, MLAs -- Dronamraju Satyanarayana and Karanam Dharmasri -- the Mayor, Rajana Ramani, and the ZP Chairman, Vanjangi Kanthamma, participated.

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