Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Naxal issue

The editorial "Killing with impunity" (March 6) is right in saying the Mahato assassination could signal a Naxalite counteroffensive against the drive by the Centre and some State Governments to put down the extremists. The Naxalites are a desperate lot doing little good to themselves and the people in whose name they perpetrate violence. The brutal killing of JMM MP Sunil Kumar Mahato and three others should serve as a wake-up call to the Centre and State Governments to come together to end the Naxal menace.

J. Dorairaj,
Chennai

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While appreciating the need for urgent steps to control Naxal violence, one cannot overlook the fact that the state has failed to address the basic issues such as poverty and gross unemployment raised by Maoist outfits. These groups are concentrated in regions where they can recruit activists easily. Besides stepping up combing operations, the governments should engage the Naxalites in talks to evolve a lasting solution.

C.P. Velayudhan Nair,
Kochi

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