The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Door not closed for peace talks, says YSR

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 13, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Door not closed for peace talks, says YSR

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, APRIL 12. The Chief Minister, Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, today reiterated that the Government is ready to continue the peace talks provided the Maoists lay down arms and come forward to resume the dialogue.

In a significant development, balladeer Gaddar called on the Chief Minister at the latter's camp office today and submitted a memorandum seeking a halt to the ongoing combing operations and police encounters, an inquiry into the release of a `forged press statement' in the name of the CPI (Maoist) State secretary, Ramakrishna, and permission for the proposed peace march by poets and writers.

In the 30-minute meeting, the first after Gaddar, Varavara Rao and Kalyan Rao announced their decision to withdraw as emissaries of the CPI (Maoist), the Chief Minister utilised the opportunity to put forth his Government's viewpoint.

Dr. Reddy said the Government till this day had not closed the doors for the talks. "Talks are not an attempt at oneupmanship. We hope to resolve the issue through talks. That is why we have no plans to re-impose the ban," he told Gaddar. "Kindly tell this to your leaders," he said.

Gaddar to carry message

Gaddar then asked the Chief Minister whether he was ready to send a message to the Central Committee of the CPI (Maoist). "If they are ready to listen to what I say, I have no hesitation to record the message and send it across," he said. On his part, Gaddar offered to act as a `postman' to carry Dr. Reddy's message to the Maoist leaders.

Dr. Reddy pointed out that 88 persons had been murdered in last 10 months by naxals who wanted to assume power through the barrel of the gun. "No Government will accept such a demand," he said.

"Do you expect the Government to remain silent when innocents are killed and Government properties are damaged?" he asked. He said that the Government came forward to hold talks in the hope of bringing back peace. "Even to this day we are ready," he said.

The Congress Government had an open mind towards the talks and this was "a historic opportunity" to find a solution. He wondered what the naxalites had achieved in their 30-year-long struggle except killing thousands of innocents.

No killings

"Our intention is not to kill anybody without a reason. Change will not come by killings," he observed.

To prove his point, he cited the arrest and subsequent production of a top naxal leader, Gopanna, in a Rajahmundry court recently.

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