The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Maoist threat will be tackled: Jana

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, May 13, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Maoist threat will be tackled: Jana

N. Rahul

`There is no threat to police from use of rocket launchers as they are in primitive stage'

HYDERABAD: The Home Minister, K. Jana Reddy, has said that there is no immediate threat to the police from the use of rocket launchers by Maoists as they have not gained accuracy in its flight.

In an interview to The Hindu here on Thursday, the Minister said the rocket launcher attack on Durgi police station two days ago had shown that the missile was in a `primitive stage' of development. The Government would take steps to counter the Maoist threat.

The police possessed more advanced weapons like the two-inch mortars with a range of over 300 yards to attack naxalite camps. They were using grenade firing rifles in special operations.

Hopeful on talks

Mr. Reddy was optimistic that negotiations with the Maoists would resume as he firmly believed that the problem would have to be solved only through a dialogue. The Government was in touch with intellectuals, and conveying readiness to reopen the dialogue provided extremists abjured violence. Their representatives, if any, were welcome to talk to the Government. He said morale of the police was high in spite of reverses suffered by them after the breakdown of talks.

Asked whether the Government had imposed an undeclared ban on Maoists going by the combing operations, Mr. Reddy said it was taking steps within the legal framework to contain violence.

There was no repression or harassment by the police and their operations were not aimed at weakening the movement but to carry out normal policing to check disturbances.

The Minister dismissed as false allegations that the police were resorting to fake encounters. The Government would achieve nothing by resorting to repression or encounters.

It believed in upholding the rule of law, weeding out the youth from naxalism and creating an awareness among the public against violence.

Mr. Reddy denied that the police had leaked out the letters written by the former Maoist emissaries which resulted in the recent controversy. It was media which investigated into the letters recovered from a party courier.

Warrant against Varavara

He added that the Government was under no pressure to get the search warrant against the former emissary, Varavara Rao, withdrawn nor had it done so far. He did not, however, explain reasons for delay in executing the warrant.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh