KCR urges Modi govt to halt 'operation Kagar' against Maoists

Hyderabad: Alleging that tribals and youth are being killed in the anti-Maoist operations in Chhattisgarh, BRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao urged the Centre to halt the 'operation Kagar'.

Addressing a public meeting organised in Hanumakonda district on Sunday to celebrate the silver jubilee of BRS, he favoured holding talks with the CPI (Maoists).

"Today, the Central government, in the name of Operation Kagar, is killing youth and tribals in Chhattisgarh. It is not fair," he said.

Referring to the reported proposal of Maoists for peace talks, he said eliminating the ultras with the use of force (by the Centre) is not in the spirit of democracy.

"I am requesting the Central government. It is not democracy that you go on killing people. Operation Kagar should be stopped immediately. Give naxalites democratic space and hold talks," he said.

The former chief minister sought people's acceptance to pass a resolution in this regard and sending it to the Centre.

The Maoists had in a purported press note recently, said the Centre and the government of Chhattisgarh (facing the menace of Naxal violence) have jointly launched an operation ‘Kagar’ against them, what they call a "revolutionary movement".

The demand by Rao came on a day when a group of intellectuals and others urged Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy to make efforts to persuade the Centre to announce a ceasefire and agree to peace talks with the CPI (Maoists).

The group, comprising retired professor Haragopal, retired judge Justice Chandra Kumar, and others, submitted a memorandum to Reddy in this regard.

The development comes against the backdrop of intense anti-Maoist operations being carried out by security forces in Chhattisgarh and other states.

A massive operation against Naxalites, involving about 10,000 security personnel along the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border, continued, with the Maoists purportedly issuing a statement for the fifth day on Friday, in which they called for halting the exercise and holding "peace talks." KCR, who has been keeping a low profile since his party's defeat in the 2023 assembly elections, charged that the Congress government in the state has failed on all fronts, including ensuring effective supply of drinking water and electricity and addressing farmers' issues.

Congress made a slew of promises for the sake of power, including increasing social security pensions, scootys to girl students and even one tola gold to brides at the time of marriage, but deceived people after coming to power, he alleged.

"None can beat Congress in telling lies. As if the local leaders were not enough, duplicate Gandhis came from Delhi (for election campaign). They clapped and danced on the stage. They said KCR is giving Rs 10,000 for 'Rythu Bandhu' scheme for farmers and we will give Rs 15,000," he said.

The Congress government's scheme of free travel for women in state-run RTC buses only ended up triggering petty quarrels (for seats) among women in the buses. The women are now rejecting the scheme, he said.

The prices of land in the state have witnessed a sharp fall due to the failures of the Congress government and the newly-formed Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) has demolished the house of the poor, he alleged.

Referring to the issue of tree felling in lands next to the University of Hyderabad (UoH), he said the government should use its discretion in selling lands and not the lands of universities.

He asserted that the BRS would return to power after the next assembly elections in 2028.

KCR, who has faced flak for not coming out in public since the loss of BRS electoral defeat, said he would be active in organising party activities.

On Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy's criticism against him for not attending assembly sessions, he said the government is not giving answers even when "children" (an apparent reference to his son and BRS Working President K T Rama Rao) are asking questions.

He also referred to the alleged comments of some contractors that commissions are being demanded from them for the release of funds.

Congress has always been "villain number one" for Telangana as it merged Telangana with Andhra region to form undivided Andhra Pradesh against people's wishes and later killed 400 youth agitating for Telangana statehood in 1969, he alleged.

Training guns on BJP, KCR said the NDA government at the Centre has not given even Rs 11 to Telangana despite being in power for the last 11 years.

The Centre has not accorded national status to a single irrigation project in the state, he said.

KCR also referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's alleged comments in the past about formation of Telangana that the UPA government had killed the mother (implying Andhra Pradesh) to give birth to the child (Telangana). The comments are seen as an insult to Telangana.

Dismissing KCR's attack on the Congress government, state Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy challenged the former CM for a debate in the assembly on people's issues at a time of his choice.

The Congress government is not only continuing the schemes implemented by the previous BRS government but introduced fresh programmes despite the financial difficulties, Reddy said.