Govt offers talks with Maoists, NE insurgents

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The Centre on Wednesday offered talks with Maoists and insurgents in the north east with a condition that they should suspend violence.

"Violence does not pay and violence will not pay. The State will not bend before anyone who uses violence as an instrument of policy to achieve political demands," Home Minister P. Chidambaram told a press conference on a day he completed three years in the ministry.

"That is why we tell them suspend violence and come for talks and when you come for talks, you will be treated with dignity and honour. And we can resolve your political demands through talks," he said.

He was replying to questions on the bomb blast in Manipur on Wednesday and about talks with different insurgents groups in the north east.

"Yes, it applies to maoists also. I have made this statement several times before and I make it again today as I complete three years. Even maoists should suspend violence. We are not asking for more at this stage. Just say there will be no violence and my offer stands," Chidambaram said.

"After consulting Chief Ministers of the States concerned, within 72 hours we will get back to them to fix the dates and venue for starting talks. But they must suspend violence," he said.

Rejecting allegations of fake encounter, Chidambaram said there were "no doubts" that maoist leader Kishenji was killed in a gun battle with security forces in West Bengal last week.

"Reports indicates that he was killed in a gun battle that started on November 22 and concluded on November 23. We have no doubts about the encounter. He was killed in an encounter," he said.