Monday, April 4 2005 21:52 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Hyderabad: Terming as 'unfortunate' naxalite emissaries' decision to pull out from peace talks, Andhra Pradesh Government today (Apr 4, 2005) said its doors were always open for peace talks.

"The Government is always ready for talks and its doors are open," State Home Minister K Jana Reddy told reporters in Hyderabad.

Denying that the State police had been resorting to fake encounters, he said the Government was firm to maintain law and order and to protect the lives of citizens at any cost.

It was the constitutional responsibility of the Government to maintain peace and any incidents (encounters) should be construed as part of its action for maintaining law and order and it should not be taken as suppression, he said.

In reply to a query, the Home Minister said no Government would act in vengeance and it was the responsibility of the Government to protect the lives of the people.

On the allegation that naxal cadres were being killed in fake encounters, Reddy said the Government was ready to refer all encounter cases to Monitoring Committee set up by it. However, he admitted that the Committee did not submit report on the incidents which were referred to it earlier.