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Syed Amin Jafri in Hyderabad
The People's War on Friday called off its talks with the Andhra Pradesh government and also announced the withdrawal of its 70-day-old unilateral ceasefire.
In a four-page media statement, PW state secretary Ramakrishna blamed the state government, particularly Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, for 'closing the doors on talks' by resorting to killings of PW cadres and leaders in 'fake encounters'.
"Now, our war of resistance against the tyrannical Chandrababu Naidu government will continue," he said.
"There have been unabated fake encounter killings during the entire first phase of talks that our representatives -- Varavara Rao and Gaddar -- had in three rounds of discussions with the government representatives -- Ministers K Vijayarama Rao and T Seetharam -- on June 5, 9 and 20," Ramakrishna said.
He pointed out that the PW had sent a note to the government representatives at the third round of talks on June 20, asking the government to create conducive atmosphere for direct talks on July 20 by declaring a ceasefire for a month and desisting from encounter killings of the Naxalites.
However, the police forces killed 10 PW cadres and leaders, including a top functionary, Padmakka, in fake encounters since June 24, he said.
Ramakrishna said while the PW was sincere and committed to talks with the government, the latter adopted a 'belligerent and tyrannical attitude'.
"However, this (withdrawal from the talks) is in no way a defeat for us. The people and democrats need not take this as a setback or an affront. The process of talks launched for peace and democracy was abandoned by the anti-people Chandrababu Naidu government and his police forces at the altar of fake encounter killings," Ramakrishna said.
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