Jairam Ramesh: We need to STOP romanticising Maoists
May 28, 2013  12:21
Rural development minister Jairam Ramesh in an interview with CNN IBN says intellectuals should stop romanticising Maoists. "There can be no dialogue with them as they don't believe in democracy. There is nothing ideological about Maoists anymore; they are extortionists and criminals. We will win the war against Naxalism, we will persevere we will bring political development and we will use force," said Ramesh.

"Mahendra Karma was a very progressive tribal leader. He was killed because Naxals don't want political acitivity," said Ramesh. "We need to emulate Andhra Pradesh's way of dealing with them. Tribals are getting squeezed between security forces and Naxals," he says. "Focussed action and tribal welfare is the way forward. We need to have a full package of policies to deal with Naxalism," says Ramesh.
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