With the Peoples’ War Group adamant on carrying weapons to meetings with the Andhra government, Home Minister Shivraj Patil faces the onerous task of convincing the other states at tomorrow’s Hyderabad conference to engage the Naxalites.‘‘We cannot say it is wrong. It has to be done. The Naxalites are all our kids — angry and carrying weapons. We have to take them along — handle them with love and sympathy. However, if that doesn’t work, then the laws are there to take their course,’’ Patil said.Last month’s discovery of a militant training camp in Nainital district, pointing to links between the PWG and the Nepal Maoists, has compounded his problems. The internal security establishment is also concerned about Andhra’s engagement with the PWG.Patil is likely to propose a socio-economic package for affected states. ‘‘The Centre wants to encourage all the states to enter into a dialogue with Naxal groups. Some states have expressed eagerness to start a dialogue. We have told them to do it with sympathy but with a sense of determination,’’ Patil said today. Chief Ministers and senior police officers of affected states — Bihar, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal and Maharashtra — will attend the meeting.Patil also hinted at a socio-economic package for the LWE groups. ‘‘The states have to talk to them and find out their grievances and complaints. There could be social problems.We can make an effort to solve them,’’ he said.The CMs of the affected states will chalk out measures for better co-ordination. Andhra Pradesh, the only state to have offered to talk to the PWG, will make a presentation on the status of the peace talks.Minister of State for Home Shriprakash Jaiswal, Director of Intelligence Bureau A.K. Doval, Special Advisor to the Prime Minister M.K. Narayanan will accompany Patil to Hyderabad.
