Stop killings, Justice Krishna Iyer tells AP govt and Naxals

The Andhra Pradesh government and the Naxalites should stop killings and start negotiations.

Giving this call recently in Hyderabad, former Supreme Court judge V R Krishna Iyer said a moratorium on killings will enable the state to evolve an agenda for north Telangana's development.

The government-Naxalite war has denied socio-economic justice to the people in many districts as the administration is often dysfunctional in those areas, he pointed out.

Urging the extremist groups to give up violence, Justice Iyer said, ''My Naxalite brothers and sisters must realise that the Indian State cannot be brought to its knees by sporadic attacks with sophisticated arms or landmines,'' he said. ''Likewise, the state must understand the truth that Naxalism and its desperate methodology can never be extinguished by killings, encounters and other stratagem.''

Justice Iyer called upon all political parties to evolve a consensus on the issue and explore strategies to promote peace.

UNI