'Rehabilitation mela' for naxalites

By K. Srinivas Reddy

ADILABAD, OCT. 2. The district police administration has sent a powerful message to the underground cadre of the People's War Group (PWG) on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti to shun violence and to join the mainstream of life promising that those surrendering would be rehabilitated suitably.

As if to buttress their claim that rehabilitation measures are taken up in all earnest, the police administration has distributed jeeps, tractors, autorickshaws along with financial assistance to start kirana shops to 35 persons who have given up violence and surrendered themselves.

That the police administration was not alone in the mission was proved when the police managed to rope in politicians and officials alike to attend a `rehabilitation mela' organised here in the Agricultural Market Committee Yard on Tuesday evening. The Handlooms and Textiles Minister, Mr. Padala Bhumanna, the local MP, Mr. S. Venugopala Chary, the Adilabad DCCB chairman, Mr. Ramakishan Reddy, and the ZP chairman, Mr. L. Shamsundar, were present at the mela along with a host of officials.

Unlike in other districts where politicians think twice before speaking against naxalites, the Minister, Mr. Bhumanna, did not mince any words in pointing out that nowhere in the world had violence paid.

He was more forthcoming in referring to the demand voiced by a surrendered naxalite that the Government should immediately withdraw the criminal cases against those surrendering themselves to the police.

``We shall certainly initiate measures in this direction. Please come forward to join the mainstream and become role models for other underground cadres,'' Mr. Bhumanna said in his succinct speech.

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Section  : Southern States
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