Revanth Reddy Meets Jana Reddy To Discuss Maoists Peace Talks
CM’s meeting with Jana Reddy assumed significance after his assurance to peace committee members
Hyderabad: Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy here on Monday met the former Home Minister and senior Congress leader K Jana Reddy at his residence in Jubilee Hills to discuss Maoists issue related to ceasefire even as the security forces continued combing operation in Karregutta on Telangana-Chhattisgarh border.
Revanth Reddy’s crucial meeting with Jana Reddy assumed significance following his assurance to the members of the Peace Dialogue Committee that the Congress government would look into the Naxals issue only from a social perspective and does not consider it as a law and order issue.
Revanth Reddy assured the committee that the State government would seek suggestions from Jana Reddy, who conducted talks with Maoists in the past, on Naxal issues. Advisor (Public Affairs) K Keshav Rao was also present during the discussions.
The committee led by its Convener Justice Chandra Kumar and members Professor Haragopal and others submitted a memorandum to Revanth Reddy and requested him to take necessary steps so that the Central government would hold peace talks with Maoists. The members urged the Chief Minister to convince the Central government for a ceasefire.
On October 11, 2004, a team of 11 Maoists emerged from the Nallamala forest near Srisailam to participate in talks with the YSR-led Congress government. It was Jana Reddy who held talks with the naxals led by the secretary Ramakrishna at Dr. MCR HRD Institute in Jubilee Hills.
Meanwhile, Telangana police in coordination with their counterparts in Chhattisgarh and central forces launched a joint operation to save Karregutta from infiltration of Maoists last week. Following information from the intelligence agencies about the presence of Maoists on a large scale, the police personnel from Telangana and Chhattisgarh in coordination with Central Reserve Police Forces (CRPF) launched the operation.
The action follows as Maoists earlier issued a warning to tribals not to reach Karregutta as a large quantity of explosives were planted around Karregutta. Sources said the Maoists started using Karregutta as a shelter zone following a crackdown by the CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh.
