Bangalore: (DHNS): The State government on Wednesday held a meeting with the members of Shantigagi Nagarika Vedike, an NGO, with regard to the proposed surrender of two naxal leaders.
The meeting was chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at Vidhana Soudha.
Members of the Vedike and writers Baraguru Ramachandrappa, Gauri Lankesh, Devanuru Mahadeva and advocate A K Subbaiah had requested the government to drop cases filed against the two naxal leaders— Sirimane Nagaraj and Noor Zulfikar, who are willing to join the mainstream.
The meeting was also attended by State DG and IGP Lal Rokhuma Pachau and Home Secretary S K Pattanayak. The High Power Committee discussed the cases pending against the two Maoist leaders.
A member of the Vedike who attended the meeting told Deccan Herald that the government had agreed to drop the cases which are within its purview.
“Sirimane Nagaraj faces just one case which involves a bailable offence. However, there are four cases pending against Noor Zulfikar under Arms Act and Unlawful Activities Act for which the State has to get the concurrence of the Centre,” he said.
The State government through Vedike has asked the Naxal leaders to take up surrender policy framed by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
“The government has assured that upon surrender, the police will not seek their remand which helps them to obtain bail. Though both of them had given up arms several years ago, they had gone underground because of the cases pending against them. We will communicate the State government’s proposal to them,” the member said.
Sirimane Nagaraj and Noor Zulfikar had quit CPI (Maoist) and showed their willingness to join the mainstream in 2006. The duo had also given interviews in this regard.
