M A I N   N E W S

Naxals are our own, says BJP icon Modi
Suggests talks with them, leaves party red-faced 
Faraz Ahmad
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 20
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today left many red faces in the BJP by propagating dialogue with the Naxalites, a stand clearly against the party line.

Modi extended the advice while interacting with the students of Mangalayatan University in Aligarh on Thursday morning where he was a special invitee.

“The fact is that Naxals are our own people. We have to make them understand that talks are the only way out and that killing people is not going to solve any problem,” Modi explained to the students,

Interestingly, just a day before senior BJP leader Arun Jaitely had strongly expressed his views against any dialogue with the rebels.

Dismissing disdainfully suggestions of parallel dialogue with the Maoists, extended by Digvijay Singh and even UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Jaitely said: “All these statements about weakening the security battle against the Maoists are coming from non-governmental political leaders of the UPA. They are not accountable to the country.”

Earlier, the BJP had passed a resolution on the growing Naxal menace and advocating a similar hard line. BJP leaders have described the situation as “war-like” and said that there can be no dialogue and negotiations in such a situation.

Therefore, Modi’s suggestion of a dialogue naturally ruffled quite a few feathers in his party, with BJP immediately issuing a denial purportedly issued by the Gujarat Information Centre here. “The Gujarat CM while talking to the students said nowhere in the world has violence succeeded, therefore the youth should give up violence and instead try to resolve their issues through dialogue,” read the denial. 

Meant strong action against rebels: Modi

New Delhi/Aligarh: Hours after he appeared to have favoured talks with Naxals, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi said the tendency to destroy the society with arms cannot be accepted and that the government should take strong action against Naxals.

“I want to say that government should take strong action against Naxals and killing of innocent people cannot be allowed,” he told reporters in New Delhi after meeting Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia.His comments came just hours after he said at an interaction with students at Mangalayatan University in Aligarh that Naxalite youths “are our own” and that “we have to make them understand that talks are the only way out.” — PTI