Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Ban on naxals

Under the Telugu Desam regime, naxalites were rendered considerably weak. With the Congress Government engaging them in peace talks since it assumed office in Andhra Pradesh in 2004, they regained their strength and extended their activities.

The State should adopt a two-pronged approach to the issue. It should ban the groups operating directly or with the support of naxals, and launch a massive programme to make people aware of the ultras' activities that result in death and destruction.

M. Habibulla Naveed,
Hyderabad

* * *

A blanket ban on naxalite groups — and crackdown even on sympathisers — will provide only a stopgap relief to Andhra Pradesh. The Government should launch massive social welfare schemes for eradication of poverty satisfying the basic needs of the landless and removing all forms of injustice by the corrupt government machinery and outrage by the privileged sections.

Joy Eapen,
Vennikulam, Kerala

* * *

With the one-point agenda of capturing power, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy promised to hold talks with the naxalites during the 2004 election campaign. Now with the ground reality staring him in the face, he blames the naxalites for the breakdown of talks and imposes a ban on them. Credence must however be lent to his another election-eve promise — of bringing Indira Rajya. His Government is moving to curb the rights of journalists on coverage of naxalite activity reminding one of the Emergency days.

K.R.P. Gupta,
Mumbai

* * *

There is no question that Dr. Reddy is keeping his promise of ushering in Indira Rajya, with the imposition of the ban on the Revolutionary Writers Association, arrest of Maoist emissaries, and proposals to curb the freedom of the media to interview leaders of the banned outfits.

Sannapareddy Krishnareddy,
Nellore, A.P.

* * *

The third time ban on the Maoist party only reveals the lacunae in the efforts of successive governments at tackling naxalism. There has been no consistent political approach. While Chief Ministers N.T. Rama Rao and Channa Reddy revoked the ban, Janardhan Reddy, Chandrababu Naidu and now YSR imposed it. The governments have also been unable to reach rural and tribal areas and deliver the much-needed good administration. Unless the fruits of development reach these pockets and all governments are firm in their approach, any number of bans will be in vain.

Naveen Marrapu,
Hyderabad

* * *

The arrest of revolutionary writers such as Varavara Rao is undemocratic. As for dealing with the naxalite issue, as long as the causes persist there can be no cure for the disease.

K. Giridhar,
Hyderabad

* * *

Banning the naxalite outfits at this juncture will not serve any purpose. The Government should evolve a clear long-term strategy to deal with the issue. The lifting and reimposition of the ban every now and then send confusing signals.

Ananda Srinivas,
Machilipatnam, A.P.

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