Hyderabad, April 12: When peace talks stutter, refer to God.

Chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy did just that ? he quoted from the Bible.

?As I have observed, those who plough evil and those who sow trouble, reap it,? he told Maoist representative Gaddar who had come to appeal against the combing operations in the Nallamala forests as they infringed on the ?human rights? of the rebels.

The combing operations by Andhra police have come in the wake of the rebel raid on a police station on March 12.

If the words from the Book of Job (Chapter 4, verse 8) speak of reaping what one sows, the next verse talks of God?s wrath. ?At the breath of God, they are destroyed. At the blast of His anger, they perish.? Reddy?s office, however, says the chief minister did not quote verse 9 during their 45-minute interaction.

Gaddar, who last week said he could no longer act as mediator because of the fresh violence but has offered to carry one more message from the chief minister to the Maoists, said Reddy told him human rights was not the ?domain? of just the Maoists.

?Thousands of victims terrorised by Maoists also demand their human rights,? the folk singer quoted Reddy as saying.

The Maoist-police violence has escalated since January after a series of encounters that resulted in the death of 12 extremists in 24 hours.

The rebels also raided several police stations, targeted police vehicles and killed about 10 policemen in separate incidents. Among the 116 people who have died since the peace moves faltered are 45 rebels, 46 civilians and five elected representatives.

Reddy has offered to tape his voice on an audio cassette and give it to Gaddar for taking it to the rebels.