Stressing the need for political parties to mobilise masses to join them,Union Urban Development Minister Jairam Ramesh urged the villagers of Gadchiroli on Saturday to bar Naxals from entering their villages since peace is necessary for development. Returning to this village in the Naxal heartland a year after he handed over the transit pass for bamboo transport to them,Ramesh asked the villagers,When was it last that there was a political rally here. The youth here should be with political parties not with Naxals. They must engage themselves in the political process. The situation here will change only when the people will be with the government. The government will be successful only when we will become free from the dadas, he said referring to Naxals. Ramesh said,Maoists dont believe in democracy. They should participate in the election process,not hold guns in their hands. Continuing his tirade against Maoists,Ramesh said,They take away young boys and girls when they should be going to schools. You should make a resolve not to allow such people into your villages. Tell them that you will not accept their guns hanging over your heads. Referring to Orissa,Ramesh said,Many Maoists have won local elections there. Some have advocated stopping of funds to the gram panchayats there. I have spoken against it. I think we must encourage the process of their integration into the system. Thanking Ramesh for showing interest in Mendha-Lekhas work,tribal activist Mohan Hirabai Hiralal,however,differed with Ramesh,saying,Violence isnt there in Gadchiroli alone. Its everywhere. Violence is inherently there in our political framework.
