Peace talks get underway in Hyderabad

The first-ever direct talks between the People's War-Janashakti naxalites and the Andhra Pradesh government got underway in Hyderabad on Friday morning.

Also Read Stage set for historic peace talks

To facilitate the peace talks, both sides have declared a ceasefire, which is in force since mid-June.

Both camps have exuded optimism that the peace process will benefit the people of the state. Home Minister K Jana Reddy and People's War AP state committee secretary Ramakrishna made it clear that the formation of the Communist Party of India-Maoist through the merger of People's War and Maoist Communist Center of India will not have any impact on the peace talks.

The merger was announced on Thursday evening.

Amidst tight security arrangements, the momentous talks commenced at the board room of Marri Channa Reddy Human Resource Development Institute in the posh Jubilee Hills area.

The People's War and Janashakti leaders, along with their emissaries, arrived at the venue around 1020 IST. People's War emissary G Kalyan Rao told waiting reporters that the opening remarks from both the government side and the two naxalite parties would mark the inauguration of the eagerly-awaited peace talks.

The home minister refused to say anything but assured that a media briefing will take place in the evening.

The 11-point agenda for the talks mainly focuses on distribution of land to the landless and reversal of World Bank policies.

The home minister leads the nine-member government team. Ramakrishna heads the six-member People's War team,  while Amar is the leader of the five-member Janashakti team. 

The talks formally began at 11 am, after the media photographers and TV crews were sent out of the board room.

The home minister held last-minute consultations with Chief Minister Dr Y S Rajasekhar Reddy before the latter left on a tour.

Government officials are being kept out from the talks, though they are available for consultations and providing inputs to the official team at the venue.

The merger of People's War with MCCI on the eve of the peace talks has come as a surprise to many.

However, speaking to newsmen on Thursday night, Jana Reddy maintained that "the merger is their internal matter. It will not cast its shadow on the talks. It will not affect the talks in any way."

Ramakrishna, in his media interaction on Thursday, claimed the merger will give a boost to the naxalite movement in the country. He, however, said it would not have any impact on the ongoing peace process in AP.

The naxalites have demanded a time-bound action plan for distribution of 25 lakh acres of excess lands that remains in the hands of landlords due to tardy implementation of the land ceilings rules in the last three decades.

The naxalites have also asked the government to scrap the World Bank-dictated policies.