The Hindu Business Line : AP Govt asks People's War to respond to call for talks

THE proposed talks process between the Andhra Pradesh Government and CPI (ML) People's War seems to have hit a roadblock, with the former falling short of announcing a ceasefire as demanded by the Naxalite party to create conducive atmosphere for holding talks.

Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, Mr Jana Reddy, the Home Minister, asked People's War to respond to Government's call for talks. "We can discuss the modalities through a conciliatory committee once they respond," he said.

When reporters pointed out to him that PW wanted the Government to announce ceasefire to facilitate talks, he said police would carry out their normal policing activity. "Ceasefire is something that is announced between two nations. Here the case is different. We assure that there won't be any suppression. There won't be any attacks from our side," he said.

"We can still discuss the issue during the talks," he said.

Referring to the Chief Minister's recent statement that asked the Naxalites to confine to the forests, he said the idea was to prevent any untoward incidents that might disrupt the talks process.

"The very fact that there was no violence in the last fifteen days shows that things are moving in a positive direction. Even they (People's War) are cooperating with us in this regard," he said.

Meanwhile in a statement here, Mr Ramakrishna, Secretary of PW's State Committee, asked the Government to come out with specific measures to make the talks process a meaningful one.

Stating that ceasefire would do good to take the process further, he expressed his readiness to go for a simultaneous ceasefire. He also assured that his party would not resort to any armed action, provided that the Government reciprocated in the same coin.

Strongly resenting police donning the role of politicians, Mr Ramakrishna alleged that the police had selfish reasons to continue the repressive conditions. He wanted the police to be kept away.

He also said that his party had every right to move around in villages to carry out its political campaign.

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