The Hindu : Karnataka News : Give up arms, CPI tells naxalites

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Saturday, Mar 05, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka

Give up arms, CPI tells naxalites

By Our Special Correspondent

GULBARGA, MARCH 4. The Communist Party of India (CPI) today urged members of the Communist Party of India (Maoist) to lay down their arms and hold talks with the State Government to resolve issues, including the eviction of tribal people from the proposed Kudremukh National Park. The CPI State Secretary, Siddanagouda Patil, told presspersons here on Friday that the CPI does not support the armed struggle of the naxalites. However, it feels that the Union and State governments have not responded to socio-economic issues raised by the naxalites.

He said the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, and Chief Minister, N. Dharam Singh, have stated that the naxalite issue should be dealt with as a socio-economic problem. However, the actions of the Union and State governments do not reflect these statements, he added.

Dr. Patil said the special financial package announced for areas where naxalites are active should have been evolved much earlier.

On the killing of the State Secretary of the CPI (Maoist), Saketh Rajan, and Shivalingappa in Chikmagalur district by the police, Dr. Patil said recent reports suggest that Rajan may have been apprehended by the police and shot dead.

He said the Government should initiate measures to support cooperative farming. He felt the State Government is giving undue importance and subsidies to the information technology sector. According to him, IT companies have "confined" their activities to big cities.

To a question, Dr. Patil said the party will launch a movement against the Government's alleged neglect of key sectors such as irrigation.

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