Naxal offer seen as ‘division ploy’
Top CPI(Maoist) leader Kishenji’s offer for peace talks is being viewed as a ploy to create “divisions” within the government at a time when UPA ally, railway minister and Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, is sending peace signals to the Maoists. Government sources said that the Maoist peace offer, made during the ongoing Parliament session, is a deliberate attempt to create “confusion” in the government and give the impression that there are divisions on the issue.
The Trinamul’s arch political rival in West Bengal, the ruling CPI(M) on Wednesday accused Ms Banerjee of having a nexus with outlawed Maoists. “The Maoists and the Trinamool have been working together. They are collaborating, so you cannot have any one of them being the mediator to try and ease the violence and tension,” Mr Yechury said.
Top Maoist leader Kishenji had suggested a three-month ceasefire by both sides and talks for a peace. He had claimed there were “some reports from the PMO that Ms Banerjee has been asked to work as a mediator. If she agrees, then we have no problem”.
Maintaining that there is clarity within the government on the issue, sources said that the Centre will only agree for talks if the Maoists abjure violence. “It is a long time before any talks can be held. No where in the world has any insurgent group come forward for talks till they are under any kind of pressure,” a government official said adding that it will take at least a year of anti-Naxal operations before the Maoists face the heat.
The official said it seems the Centre’s suggestion asking the Maoists to abjure violence and then come forward for talks seems to be falling on deaf ears since Maoists are indulging in acts of violence and killing innocent people every day.
In his peace offer, Kishenji said that “the President and the Prime Minister, in their Independence Day speeches, have appealed to the Maoists to abjure violence. We are never for violence but the government has instigated us to take up arms.” Government sources said that there is no question of a ceasefire as of now in view of the tactics used by Naxals to regroup during the period.
Post new comment