Sonia asks for 'humane approach' to AP Naxal issue

Congress President Sonia Gandhi, on Friday, sought to know what development work was being undertaken by the Congress government in Andhra Pradesh and asserted the need for a 'more humane approach' to address one of the main causes for naxal violence.

At the Congress Chief Ministers' Conclave in Chandigarh, Sonia sought details from AP Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy relating to development of the state's tribal region, particularly in context of land rights and irrigation issues, sources said.

With key United Progressive Alliance ally, Telengana Rashtra Samithi, keeping the government on tenterhooks over its demand for creation of a separate Telangana state, Sonia is believed to be keen on speedy development of the region to fulfill the aspirations of the people.

Earlier, in her inaugural address, she said, "It has become painfully obvious that we cannot look at naxalite violence in isolation, particularly from issues connected with tribal welfare."

She said that within tribal welfare, the issue of land and land rights was critical. "This needs to be looked at more humanely and more urgently than has been the case so far," she said, favouring a time-bound campaign for resolving all land-related disputes and updating land records.

"Health and nutrition have emerged as very serious concerns in tribal areas and I urge you to take this up on a priority basis," she said.

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"The issues of Naxalite violence in the heart of the country and of insurgency in the North-East are serious. We have to better understand and come to grips with the deeper socio-economic factors at work," Gandhi said, adding that functioning of police and security forces had to be improved simultaneously.

She said 'channels of dialogue' have to be kept open while asserting that wanton killing of innocent men, women and children 'cannot be condoned'.

Answering questions from mediapersons, the chief minister declined to say what transpired at the CMs' conclave but said that his government was providing better irrigation facilities to the Telangana region, earmarking 55 percent of the state's irrigation outlay, which was proportionately lot more than the population of AP.

Reddy said the demand for creation of Telangana has been left for Sonia to decide and added that even the TRS has spoken on similar lines.