Abjure violence first: Government on Kishenji offer

The government on Tuesday reiterated that the Maoists must first abjure violence before talks could be held with them on ending their decades-long armed struggle in various parts of the country.

The government on Tuesday reiterated that the Maoists must first abjure violence before talks could be held with them on ending their decades-long armed struggle in various parts of the country.

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"It doesn't really matter what Kishenji says. Nobody is interested in it (a ceasefire)," Home Secretary G.K. Pillai told IANS on the Maoist leader's proposal for a three-month truce ahead of talks between the government and the Left wing ultras.

"He will say whatever he wants to. We have made our stand clear. They have to abjure violence before we start talking," Pillai said.

Kishenji, in an audio tape sent to media outlets in Kolkata late Tuesday, said: "Both the government and our outfit will declare the three-month armistice simultaneously. Then only the ground will be prepared for the talks."

Kishenji said the Maoists wanted Swami Agnivesh as the mediator for the talks. He also mentioned the names of Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee and author Arundhati Roy as possible interlocutors.