■  Decision on proposal for peace talks with Maoists after internal Cong discussion

■  Government approached naxalism from a social perspective rather than viewing it as a law and order issue

■  Bhupesh Baghel government in Chhattisgarh, which faced similar challenges during its tenure from 2018 to 2023

■  Jana Reddy played a pivotal role in facilitating peace negotiations with maoists in 2004 

metro india news  I hyderabad

In a major development, Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy met senior Congress leader and former Home Minister K Jana Reddy on Monday to discuss the evolving situation surrounding Operation Kagar and the growing demand for peace talks with Maoist groups. Government Advisors K Keshav Rao and Vem Narender Reddy also were present.

According to highly placed sources, the Chief Minister sought Jana Reddy's counsel on the potential roadmap for initiating peace talks, exploring a ceasefire, and framing the government's official stand. Jana Reddy, who played a pivotal role in facilitating peace negotiations during the 2004 talks under former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy’s tenure, shared his insights on the earlier dialogue process and how similar efforts could be structured in the present context.

Sources indicate that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy discussed in depth the previous peace process, the conditions under which talks were initiated, and the lessons learned. He sought guidance on how the Telangana government should respond to the proposal put forth by intellectuals advocating for dialogue, emphasizing the need for a calibrated and socially-driven approach in line with the Congress party’s stated vision.

During the meeting, Revanth Reddy also spoke over phone with senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh, who served as the party in-charge for undivided Andhra Pradesh during the earlier Maoist peace negotiations. Singh's experience and advice were reportedly sought to help formulate Telangana’s stance in alignment with the broader party perspective and national considerations.

Discussions further touched upon the need for coordination with the Congress high command and other Congress-ruled states, particularly analyzing the experience of the Bhupesh Baghel government in Chhattisgarh, which faced similar challenges during its tenure from 2018 to 2023.

The Chief Minister’s prompt consultations have been welcomed by members of the Peace Talks Committee, who had earlier urged him to initiate efforts towards dialogue, stressing the need to view the Maoist issue through a social lens rather than solely as a law and order problem.

Meanwhile, BRS President and former Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao also weighed in on the issue during the BRS Silver Jubilee Celebrations in Warangal. KCR criticized the BJP-led Central government’s Operation Kagar, terming it unjust and devoid of moral grounding, and called for an immediate end to the operation and the initiation of peace negotiations with Maoists.

The Telangana government's decision on this sensitive matter is expected to have wider implications, influencing other state governments and potentially building momentum for national-level peace talks.

Immediately halt Operation Kagar: K Kavitha

Meanwhile, BRS MLC K. Kavitha demanded an immediate halt to Operation Kagar in Chhattisgarh, stressing that Naxalism should be addressed through dialogue, not force. She urged the Union government to call for a ceasefire, initiate talks with Maoists, and emphasized that lasting peace can only be achieved through political negotiation.