Malkangiri: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today ventured into the Maoist heartland making an impassioned appeal for peace and urging the rebels to eschew violence and join the national mainstream.
Addressing a public meeting at Chitraconda in Malkangiri district amdist unprecedented security, Patnaik called upon the Maoists "to join mainstream and quit violence."
Stating that violence did not help solve any problem, Patnaik said, "rather violence generates more problems for society and its people."
He reminded the rebels that violence was an impediment to development. "Violence is the main enemy of the development of the state and region," the chief minister said adding that violence has no place in democracy.
While Patnaik was speaking a large number of anti-maoist forces fanned out to different senstive parts of the districts. The border with Chhattisgharh and Andhra Pradesh was also sealed.
Chitraconda is the place from where left wing extremists (LWE) run a parallel administration.
The Chief Minister also announced the state government's decision of according Municipality status to Malkangiri notified area council (NAC), a long standing demand of the local people.
Patnaik inaugurated two girls hostels and distributed work order of Indira Awas Yojana houses among the tribals, agricultural equipment to self help groups and cash to beneficiaries of the family welfare schemes.
The Chief Minister inaugurated the operation of ambulance service in the tribal dominated district.