Assembly debate on PWG evokes little interest

By R.J.Rajendra Prasad

HYDERABAD, APRIL 3. An important debate in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly today on the activities of the Peoples War Group turned out to be a one-sided affair with the active participation of only the ruling party members. The Assembly adjourned sine die today at the end of a three-week session after adopting the vote on account budget.

One would have expected the Congress(I), BJP and the Telugu Desam members to have discussed the Government strategy pursued for the past 15 years to deal with PWG without results. The issue has gained significance in the wake of statements issued by Mr. Varavara Rao of the Revolutionary Writers Association, and Gaddar, ballad singer, that Naxalites can be persuaded to come to talks if the Government stopped its onslaught against them. The Chief Minister, Mr. N.Chandrababu Naidu, said the Government would not invite Naxalites for talks unless they laid down arms. However, he was willing to invite Mr. Varavara Rao and Mr. Gaddar to all-party meetings called to discuss Naxalite violence.

Today's debate was also important in the context of a meeting convened by the Union Home Minister, Mr. L.K. Advani, in Delhi tomorrow to discuss coordination of the police forces in Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh to deal with the Naxalite violence. The debate was opened by Mr. Baje Goverdhan of the Congress(I), representing Armoor constituency in Nizamabad district, who was himself attacked by Naxalites on two occasions. An injury caused by a bullet had damaged his throat.

The Members generally spoke of the need to deal with the issue as a social rather than a law and order problem. The Chief Minister's announcement that there would be no more jobs in Government service was creating frustration among unemployed youth, they said.

The Congress(I) appeared reluctant to participate in the debate or talk about the Government strategy to deal with the violence. Surprisingly, the BJP floor leader, Mr. N.Indrasena Reddy, wanted an ``in camera'' session because several Members were on the hit- list of the PWG and an open debate would not be in the best interests of the MLAs. The Leader of the Opposition, Dr. Y.S.Rajasekhara Reddy, who sat through the debate, did not speak on the subject. The former Home Minister, Dr. M.V. Mysura Reddy, who was specifically asked to give suggestions by the Chief Minister, declined the offer, saying that since Mr. Chandrababu Naidu was in charge of law and order, he had nothing to say.

It was left to Mr. Naidu to assert that the time had come for everyone to stand up against terrorism and violence. He said the PWG had put Mr. Advani and himself on the ``hit list'' for performing their duty of maintaining law and order. Those killed by the Naxalites in recent years, from A.Madhava Reddy, Home Minister, to D.Sripada Rao, former Speaker, and the octogenarian leader, T.Hayagrivachari, had all developed close contacts with the people and were known as friends of the poor. The PWG was targetting those who were in the forefront of development.

Mr. Naidu accused the Communist Parties of deliberately instigating violence in the State. He referred to an agitation by anganwadi workers which turned violent, resulting in the police using water cannons and teargas to disperse the women. Mr. Naidu apologised to the women for the treatment meted out to them. Yesterday, when a delegation of volunteers of the Education Department, employed on a stipend of Rs. 500 a month to motivate children in villages to enroll in schools, came to him demanding regular salary scales, Mr. Naidu allegedly lost his temper and threatened to abolish trade unions altogether.

Trade unions were quick to protest and demanded that he withdraw his remarks. Mr. Naidu today clarified that he never said he would abolish trade unions. He only wanted to make the point that no outsider should be allowed to lead a trade union.

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