JEDDAH, 1 July 2004 — The olive branch held out by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy to the extremist and violent Peoples War Group is a “welcome move,” according to Abdul Khayyum Khan, additional commissioner of police of Andhra Pradesh.
“Violent acts of the banned PWG could become a thing of the past if the talks proposed by the new state chief minister succeed,” Khan told Arab News on Tuesday.
Khan, who was felicitated at a reception jointly organized by many individuals and organizations belonging to the state and its capital Hyderabad later in the evening, said it was unfortunate that the Naxalbari movement that began in West Bengal in 1960s seeking justice for the landless, had spread into many states in the form of PWG.
“I’ve had no problem in tackling such extremist organizations as a policeman,” said Khan, a 1981 product of the Indian Police Service (IPS), who also holds top positions in the state’s football, hockey and Olympic associations. “In fact, I continue to enjoy my profession,” said Khan, a wicketkeeper-batsman of the IPS team.
Khan is president of AP Football Association, and vice president of AP Hockey Association and AP Olympic association.
The Hyderabad Football Association, Hyderabad Young Men’s Association and Andhra Pradesh Youth Welfare Association, all based in Jeddah, honored him at the reception.
Khan, who is here for the past 10 days, is based in Makkah where he has been on a visit on behalf of the Haj Committee of India to oversee the arrangements for Indian pilgrims for the next Haj. “Traditionally, the Andhra Pradesh police have been involved in Haj arrangements, a practice that continues since the days of Nizam,” Khan said.
The Haj House in Hyderabad, he said, offers all pilgrim-related services under one roof, including providing accommodation to pilgrims and giving them an orientation in the annual pilgrimage and its rituals.
He claims that Hyderabad, which hosted the 2002 National Games and 2003 Afro-Asian Games, has the best of sports infrastructure. “Of course Delhi has been one other city with better infrastructure due to the international games it has hosted, including the Asiad twice and the Commonwealth Games.
Khan plans to establish a football academy to promote the game. “The poor man’s game has no supporters because the whole nation considers cricket is the national sport,” said Khan, adding that a lot more should be invested in games like football, hockey and other games to attract a following among youths.
He also wants to revive the Nizam Gold Cup that was discontinued 15 years ago, introduce a regular football league system and also inter-district matches, as the state’s dozen districts have good, playable grounds.
“Cricket is killing other sports in India. While we should do much better in cricket, going by the money that it has and the talent it attracts, the country has a good future in hockey,” said Khan who is equally interested in tennis and other games.
