The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : APCLC sees conspiracy

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Friday, Jan 21, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

APCLC sees conspiracy

By Our Staff Reporter

VIJAYAWADA, JAN. 20. The Andhra Pradesh Civil Liberties Committee (APCLC) sees a "deep-rooted conspiracy between the political leadership and the police machinery" in the recent spate of "encounter" killings, which it feels is aimed at scuttling the peace process.

It has demanded that the Government immediately suspend the SPs of Warangal, Prakasam and Kurnool and register cases under Section 302 (IPC) against officials on the charge of killing.

Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, the APCCL president, S.Subhas Chandra Bose, and others alleged that the spurt in the "encounter" killings was being "engineered by the Government" as it wanted to avoid the second round of talks with naxalites.

`Government insincere'

Mr. Bose said that since the next round of talks was to revolve around crucial issues like land distribution, backwardness of Telangana and irrigation projects, the Government developed cold feet as it was not sincere in settling the issues. Hence, he said the police machinery was let loose.

Mr. Bose alleged that at several places people's representatives were also "blackmailed into acquiescence" for the encounter killings. "Police officials are threatening political leaders that their personal property and lives would be under threat if they allow second round of talks to take place," he alleged.

Ridiculing the claim of the Government that the present round of hostilities were triggered by naxalites, Mr. Bose pointed out that at the time of the peace initiatives launched after the Congress Government assumed power it was agreed that any violation of ceasefire agreement should be referred to the Ceasefire Monitoring Committee. But no such reference was made by the Government, he said.

The APCLC appealed to the Government and naxalites to end hostilities and resume the peace talks. The district unit APCLC leaders -- P. Srinivas, T. Anjaneyulu and A.S.S. Ramprasad -- were present.

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