Violence will not pay, let's talk: PC
Days after security forces killed senior Maoist leader Kishenji, home minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday appealed to Naxalites and insurgent groups to come forward for talks, insisting that violence "does not and will not pay".
Days after security forces killed senior Maoist leader Kishenji, home minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday appealed to Naxalites and insurgent groups to come forward for talks, insisting that violence "does not and will not pay".
Chidambaram's offer for talks came in the backdrop of the government's agreement with the United People's Democratic Solidarity—an Assam-based insurgent group—which the home minister said could be a model for other insurgent groups.
Emphasising that violence will not yield results, Chidambaram, who completed three years in office on Wednesday, said: "The state will not bend before anyone who uses violence as an instrument of demands."
"That is why we tell them to suspend violence and come for talks and when you come for talks, you will be treated with dignity and honour. We can resolve your political demands through talks," he said, adding this offer was valid as much for northeast insurgents as Naxals.
The home minister dismissed the claims of Kishenji being killed in a fake encounter, saying there were "no doubts" that he was killed in a gun battle with security forces in West Bengal last week. "Reports indicate he was killed in a gun battle that started on November 22 and concluded on November 23. We have no doubts about the encounter," Chidambaram said.
He said a police inquiry into the encounter had been started in view of standing guidelines by the human rights commission. He said the government did not encourage killing of persons after their apprehension.
In November alone, Naxal violence claimed one life everyday, Chidambaram said, putting out a detailed statement on the 27 civilians and three security personnel killed by Naxals. The dead included people like Pran Halder in Chhattisgarh's Kanker district. Halder was shot for standing up to the Maoists.
PC on on National Population Register
Chidambaram said a decision on who would capture biometrics information would be taken by a cabinet committee.
"Should it be the Registrar General of India or should it be the UIDAI," said the minister.
