Addressing the BRS silver jubilee celebrations at Elkathurthy in Hanamkonda district, KCR said the Centre should instead invite the Maoists for dialogue, stressing that it was inappropriate in a democracy to ignore an offer for peace talks.
Published Apr 27, 2025 | 9:53 PM ⚊ Updated Apr 27, 2025 | 9:53 PM
(Left) CM Revanth Reddy met with a delegation of the Peace Committee; KCR addresses the crowd at BRS’s silver jubilee celebrations.
Synopsis: BRS supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao has demanded an immediate halt to Operation Kagar in Chhattisgarh, urging the Centre to pursue peace talks with Maoists instead of continuing military action. A delegation from the Peace Committee also met Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, seeking his intervention to suspend the operation and initiate dialogue.
Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) supremo and former Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday, 27 April, demanded an immediate halt to Operation Kagar, currently underway in neighbouring Chhattisgarh, aimed at eliminating Maoists entrenched in the region.
Addressing the BRS silver jubilee celebrations at Elkathurthy in Hanamkonda district, KCR said the Centre should instead invite the Maoists for dialogue, stressing that it was inappropriate in a democracy to ignore an offer for peace talks.
“The Maoists have said they are ready for talks. Let the Centre stop Operation Kagar and invite them to the negotiation table. Let them say whatever they want to say. Listen to them,” he said.
“The security forces are massacring the Maoists. The Centre cannot act like this just because it has power.”
Meanwhile, leaders of the Peace Committee met Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, seeking his intervention to bring Operation Kagar to a halt.
The delegation, led by committee convenor Justice Chandrakumar, included Prof G Hargopal, Prof Anwar Khan, Durga Prasad, Jampanna, and Ravi Chandar.
They urged the Chief Minister to persuade the Centre to suspend the operation and facilitate dialogue with the Maoists.
In a post on X, Revanth Reddy said the State government views Naxalism more as a socio-economic issue rather than a law-and-order problem.
He assured the delegation that he would discuss the matter with former Home Minister K Jana Reddy, who had previously negotiated with Maoist groups in 2004, and would take his views and suggestions into account before making a decision.
Operation Kagar, launched by the Union government has been underway for several days in the Karreguttalu hillocks of Chhattisgarh, near the Telangana border.
Security forces, using modern technology and sophisticated weapons, are advancing from Mulugu (Telangana), Bijapur (Chhattisgarh), and Gadchiroli (Maharashtra) to block the escape routes, escalating tensions in the region.
An unspecified number of Maoists are suspected to have been killed during the four-day exchange of fire. A CRPF jawan sustained injuries in a firefight on Saturday.
Telangana police have clarified that they are not participating in the operation, which is being carried out entirely within Chhattisgarh’s 145-acre Karreguttalu region.
Maoists have warned locals and police against entering Karreguttalu, citing the presence of planted explosives. They have accused police forces of employing deceptive tactics. Security agencies believe top Maoist leader Hidma could be hiding in the dense forests.
On April 25, Maoist Northwest Sub-Zonal Bureau leader Rupesh demanded an immediate cessation of Operation Kagar and expressed readiness for peace talks.
He called for a one-month pause in military action to create a conducive environment for dialogue, stating that the government’s aggressive stance was undermining the prospects for a peaceful resolution.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
