Naxalism in AP cannot be curbed by Greyhounds: Bardhan

Hyderabad, Mar 21: Communist Party of India National General Secretary A B Bardhan today maintained that solution to the vexed issue of Left-wing extremism could not be found through the barrel of the gun.

Talking to reporters here ahead of the party's 20th National Congress from March 23 to 27, he said it was unfortunate the killing of 17 Maoists by the specialised Greyhounds Police of Andhra Pradesh by crossing over into Chhattisgarh recently was projected as a ''victory'' by the police.

Describing insurgency as a ''socio-economic'' problem, he said, he did not agree with the view that a solution can be found to the issue through the gun,'' he said.

Extremism was growing precisely because exploitation was at its worst level in the naxal-infested states, he reasoned, adding, "those who suffer the most resort to violence."

UNI