“We welcome the Centre’s move. It will help the State to book cases against those involved in Naxalism under the Unlawful Activities Act. The Centre should have done it long ago,” he said.
Acharya said the State Government would not only announce a package to rehabilitate surrendered Naxals but also come up with a development blueprint for the Maoist-affected regions of the state.
Acharya told reporters that his government was in the process of finalising details of the package, which would end nearly two-decade-old Naxal menace in the State. He, however, refused to divulge details.
The government wants to bring those involved in Naxal activities in to the mainstream and completely root out the menace from the State. “So far, the results have been very encouraging. Some of them (Naxalites) have already come forward to surrender,” he said.
Asked whether the government would initiate legal proceedings against those who surrender, Acharya said he did not want to reveal any details about the package in the State’s interest. “We are on the verge of ending the Naxal movement and we are confident at this stage that it will be ended,” he added.
Naxalism started in 1992 with the Appiko movement. Many members of the then Karnataka Vimochana Sangha turned into Naxalites. But unlike other Naxal-affected States, the movement did not get the peoples’ support. Karnakata was not in the list of seven Naxal-affected states, he said.