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Union Minister of State for Home Ch Vidyasagar Rao is not amused by the reward and rehabilitation package announced by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu for the 46 Naxalites of the Janashakti group who surrendered on Sunday.
As per the deal, apart from extending cash rewards and the rehabilitation package, the government has agreed to go soft on criminal cases pending against the surrendered extremists.
One of these pertains to the abduction of Rao's close relative and contractor Ch Marthanda Rao from his home district Karimnagar in October last year.
Apparently, Rao is piqued over the manner in which the kingpin of the abduction episode Ranadheer was allowed to narrate to the media how the Naxalites extorted Rs 10 million (Rs one crore) from Marthanda Rao's family.
Adding insult to injury, Naidu personally presided over the surrender function and also announced the rehabilitation package.
At the function, Ranadheer claimed that the reporter of a Telugu daily acted as a 'conduit' between Janashakti state secretary K Rajanna and Marthanda Rao's relatives.
He claimed that the Karimnagar unit raised Rs 20 million (Rs two crore) through abductions and extortions but handed over the money to the state committee for procuring modern weapons like AK-47s.
The group also collected Rs 15 million (Rs 1.5 crore) from beedi contractors every year over the last six years, he told the assembled persons.
The group spent some money on community works like laying of roads, construction of bus shelters and improvement to water resources in the district, Ranadheer claimed.
Addressing a news conference in Hyderabad on Sunday night, Rao said, "It is unfortunate that some people, who resort to abductions and killings in the name of Naxalism are rewarded by the government when they surrender."
He refused to disclose if ransom was paid by Marthanda Rao's family for his release but said, "The truth about payment of ransom will come out as and when a chargesheet is filed in the court."
The 46 surrendered Naxalites will be provided with cash amounting to Rs 19.23 million (Rs 1.92 crore) besides houses under the Indira Awas Yojana and agricultural land.
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