Bijapur (Chhattisgarh), April 14: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday made an appeal to Maoists from Chhattisgarh to shun violence as the government is duty-bound to protect their rights.

"On the occasion of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar's birth anniversary, I would like to ask the youth on the path of violence that the Constitution takes care of your rights. It is government's duty to protect your rights. You need not pick arms and destroy your lives," Modi said while addressing the gathering after launching "Ayushman Bharat" scheme here. 

Modi also said that the people behind the violent activities were from outside the state and it was they who were responsible for the death of local youths. 

"None of their chiefs is from your area. They have come from outside to your state. If you read their names, surnames, you will understand who they are. They do not die. They hide safely in the jungles. They send your children in front to face the bullet. Would you leave your children behind such people?"

"The government is duty-bound to ensure school education to children and remuneration to agriculture produce," he said. 

Stating that the security personnel risk their lives for smooth functioning of schools, construction of roads, etc., Modi appealed to the people of Chhattisgarh to follow the path of development. 

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Bogota (Colombia) (AP): The White House claimed victory in a showdown with Colombia over accepting flights of deported migrants from the US on Sunday, hours after President Donald Trump threatened steep tariffs on imports and other sanctions on the longtime US partner.

Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a late Sunday statement that the “Government of Colombia has agreed to all of President Trump's terms, including the unrestricted acceptance of all illegal aliens from Colombia returned from the United States, including on US military aircraft, without limitation or delay.”

Leavitt said the tariff orders - which would have put in place 25% tariffs on all Colombian incoming goods, and then raised to 50% in one week - will be “held in reserve, and not signed." But Leavitt said Trump would maintain visa restrictions on Colombian officials and enhanced customs inspections of goods from the country, “until the first planeload of Colombian deportees is successfully returned.”

There was no immediate reaction from the Colombian government.