The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Prakash: ready for talks with naxals

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Thursday, Jul 12, 2007
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Prakash: ready for talks with naxals

Special Correspondent

‘However, they should first lay down arms’

The police were compelled to open fire: Prakash
Naxals accused of extorting money from villagers

Bangalore: Home Minister M.P. Prakash said on Wednesday that the Government was ready for discussions with naxalites provided they laid down arms and were willing for a meaningful dialogue.

His reply in the Legislative Assembly after a marathon discussion was also endorsed by Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy. The Government was also ready, if need be, for a legislature committee to suggest ways and means of putting an end to the naxalite movement in the State.

To the charge against the police over the death of three of the five persons labelled by them as naxalites, the Home Minister said, as per information available with the Government the police had asked all the five persons in the house to surrender. They were even told that the police had surrounded the house. The police were compelled to open fire when the “naxalites” refused to give in. The three persons had been identified as Rame Gowda and wife Kaveriamma and Subramanya.

Mr. Prakash said in any police operation there was always the risk of some people being caught in the crossfire. Even in “Operation Blue Star” launched against Sikh militants in 1984, several innocent people died. It was, therefore, wrong to state that the police had indiscriminately opened fire against the “naxalites.” The Government was ready to hold an inquiry and place the findings before the legislature.

The House witnessed a heated debate on the killing of the five suspected naxalites with some BJP members objecting to the Opposition members glorifying naxal activities as an “ideological battle.” The BJP members demanded stringent action against the naxal activities.

Sunil Kumar, Araga Jnanendra and the Government chief whip D.N. Jeevaraj (all BJP) defended the police action and killing of “naxalites” near Menasinahadya village in Chikmagalur district. The people in villages of Karkala, Sringeri, Thirthahalli and interior parts of Chikmagalur were living in fear of naxals. Naxalite leaders had been extorting money from villagers on the pretext of social service and it was the duty of the Government to strengthen the anti-naxal squad.

Mr. Sunil Kumar, who represents Karkala in the House, said naxalites killed Seshe Gowda and Venkatesh a few months ago in the Malnad region when they refused to give money. The naxals were also preventing villagers from attending gram sabha and panchayat meetings and were ruling the villages with “gun power”. The Government had to initiate action against some intellectuals, journalists and teachers who had been indirectly supporting naxal activities in the region, he said.

Mr. Jnanendra suggested to the Government to constitute a House committee to find out the reasons for spread of naxal activities in the region. The ANF had to step up combing operations in Malnad area to nab two “naxals” who managed to escape during encounter on Tuesday, he said.

Earlier, Leader of the Opposition N. Dharam Singh, Ramesh Kumar (Congress), Vatal Nagaraj (Kannada Chaluvali Vatal Paksha) decried the killing of innocent people in the encounter and wanted the Government to find a solution to the naxal menace.

Mr. Nagaraj demanded a judicial probe into the killing while Congress members said three innocent people were killed in a “fake” encounter.

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