The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Peace talks: Citizens Forum plans seminars

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 06, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Peace talks: Citizens Forum plans seminars

By Our Special Correspondent

VIJAYAWADA, DEC. 5. Even as uncertainty over the commencement of second round of talks between the Government and naxalite groups is continuing, the Citizens Forum for Democracy has decided to conduct seminars in different parts of the State to educate people about the need for peaceful atmosphere in the State.

The first meeting of the forum will be held in Vijayawada on December 11 in which the former Minister and one of the Government's representatives in the talks, T. Purushottam Rao, the Sarvodaya leader, Lavanam, and others will participate.

Informing this at a press conference here on Sunday, the forum convenor and Krishna Patrika editor, P. Venkateswara Rao, expressed concern that there were apprehensions among people about the commencement of the second round of talks. People were in favour of the continuation of the peaceful atmosphere prevailing in the rural areas in the light of the ongoing dialogue. But, the matter was getting complicated in the past few weeks with the police as well as Maoists exceeding their limits to some extent.

Coupled with this was the attitude of the emissaries who were completely in support of Maoists and the statements from Maoists about repeating Alipiri kind of attacks if the Government failed to concede their demands. In view of this, the forum urged the two sides to continue the dialogue as it would further strengthen the democratic system in the State.

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