Hyderabad: Union Minister of State for Home Bandi Sanjay Kumar on Wednesday said that the elimination of 27 Maoists in Chhattisgarh—including the organisation’s general secretary Nambala Keshav Rao—and the arrest of several ultras as part of an anti-Maoist operation, is a “decisive strike” in the country’s war on Naxalism.
He hailed the security forces for scripting a “game-changing chapter in national security.”
“In a monumental victory under the decisive leadership of Hon’ble PM Shri @narendramodi Ji and the tireless efforts of Hon’ble HM Shri @AmitShah Ji, 27 hardcore Maoists have been neutralised in Narayanpur, Chhattisgarh—including the CPI-Maoist’s elusive general secretary Nambala Keshav Rao alias Basavaraju,” he said in a post on ‘X’.
“Maoists killed many leaders, including those from Congress, BJP and TDP. They shot and killed innocent people and left many families with emotional trauma. There will be no talks with Maoists until they shun violence,” he said.
The MoS said the left-wing extremists killed many innocent tribals by branding them police informers.
The CPI (Maoist) recently renewed its call for halting the ongoing offensive against Maoists by security forces and reiterated its offer for talks.
The banned outfit called upon the government to stop the ongoing ‘Operation Kagar’ for one month to create a favourable environment for peace talks for the peaceful resolution of the problem through dialogue.
Senior Congress leader and Telangana government advisor K. Keshava Rao has also urged the Centre to stop ‘Operation Kagar’ and hold peace talks with Maoists.
The former MP strongly resented the anti-Maoist operation launched by the Union Home Ministry.
He said that while violence has no place in democracy, the state must handle Maoist violence tactfully. He admitted that police and armed forces cannot remain silent to violence by the extremists.
Keshava Rao appealed to the Union Government to respond favourably to the offer of extremist groups to open a dialogue for peace. He said such talks precede the extremists giving up their weapons and violence as an ideology.
“A meaningful dialogue is the best way to stop violence,” Rao added.
