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Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president B. Mahesh Kumar Goud expressed support for initiating peace talks with the Communist Party of India (Maoist). He said the committee’s appeal for a ceasefire would be brought to the attention of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and escalated to the Congress party’s high-level committee to explore the possibility of formal negotiations. Mahesh made these comments at a roundtable conference organised by the Peace Talks Committee at Sundarayya Vignana Kendram in Hyderabad on Sunday, June 1.
Speaking at the gathering, Mahesh strongly criticised the Modi-led Union government’s handling of the Maoist issue, particularly its conduct in Operation Kagar in Karreguttalu. He accused the Union government of using anti-Maoist operations as a means to displace tribal populations and clear the way for corporate exploitation of mineral-rich lands in Chhattisgarh and neighbouring states.
He also lashed out at the BJP-led government for what he described as a fascist approach, claiming that while it is willing to negotiate with terrorists from across the border, it refuses to engage with Indian citizens who have taken up arms in protest against social and economic inequalities.
“The Union government agreed to hold ceasefire talks with Pakistan under pressure from the U.S. President Donald Trump. But it won’t talk to our own citizens, the Maoists, who are fighting against injustice,” Mahesh said. He clarified that the Congress supports non-violence and does not endorse any kind of armed struggle but believes that dialogue must be prioritised over suppression.
Representing the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), MLC Dasoju Sravan Kumar echoed the call for dialogue, stating that the BRS stands for peace and democratic values. He recalled how former Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had also urged the Union government to halt Operation Kagar and begin talks, during a public address in Warangal. “People often resort to arms when they lack democratic platforms to voice their concerns,” Sravan said.
Peace Talks Committee convener Justice Chandrakumar, along with members Prof. Haragopal, Prof. Anwar Khan and others, reiterated their demand that the Union government immediately initiate talks with Maoist groups to pave the way for lasting peace.