Hyderabad: Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Friday, February 27, said that he will issue a statement on the surrender of top Maoist leaders before Telangana police on the floor of the house in the coming assembly budget sessions.
The former Maoist leaders who surrendered before Telangana Director General of Police B Shivadhar Reddy over the past couple of months met the chief minister at Dr BR Ambedkar Telangana State Secretariat and discussed what they called ‘political agenda’.
During their interaction, the former Communist Party of India (Maoist) Central Committee and Politbureau Member Thippiri Tirupathi alias Devuji reportedly urged the chief minister to enhance the relief and rehabilitation package for surrendered Maoists on par with the policies of other states, and to allot 5 acres of land to the surrendered Maoists.
The chief minister who told them that it wasn’t possible to allot land, however, assured them that the state government could provide them a house to live, a job or some livelihood source to lead a life in dignity.
He assured that there would be no shortcomings in providing security, and other rehabilitation benefits to the surrendered Maoists.
Revanth Reddy congratulated them for choosing the democratic path after spending many years in the forests. He remarked that violence cannot provide a permanent solution to any problem and that people’s aspirations could be fulfilled only through democratic means.
Expressing their desire to meet all the Maoists surrendered before the police but were lodged in various jails in Telangana, the former Maoist leaders said that they will write an open letter to the people of Telangana about the reasons that led to their surrender, and that they will explain to the people why struggles can’t be waged with under the barrel of a gun in the present-day scenario.
After the meeting, Revanth Reddy who spoke briefly with the media, said that the surrendered former Maoists could lead any kind of life they wanted to in the mainstream, also cautioning that if they violated the law of the land, the law would take its own course.
The entire meeting was held in an open and cordial atmosphere, paving the way for an amicable resolution based on the oral representations made by the former cadres.
Former Maoist leaders Malla Raji Reddy alias Sangram, Nune Narasimha Reddy alias Ganganna, Sujathakka, Bade Chokka Rao alias Damodar, Chandranna, Chief Secretary K Ramakrishna Rao, Advisor to State Government K Keshava Rao, Intelligence ADG Vijay Kumar, Special Branch IG B Sumathi and Advisor to CM Vem Narender Reddy were present on the occasion.
