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State government draws flak on SEZs

BHUBANESWAR: Taking strong exception to the government’s push for special economic zones (SEZs) in the country, revolutionary poet Varavara Rao on Sunday warned that “people’s war” against the plan was going to spread to newer areas in days to come.

Mr. Rao also said he did not see any “peace negotiations” in the foreseeable future on country’s foremost internal security challenge – naxalite violence – since many State governments failed to keep their words.

“I sat along with several people associated with people’s movements with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for two hours in 2004. He talked about tribal welfares doling out cosmetic assurances. But when it comes to recognise naxalism as a socio-economic crisis, he backtracked,” he said. When asked if the ideology the extremist groups claimed to uphold had eroded, Mr. Rao said that it was just propaganda of the State government to blame “people’s movement” by making allegations of extortion and other such charges against them.

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