New Delhi, July 7 (Inditop.com) Chief ministers of states affected by Maoist violence should renew efforts at negotiating with the extremist leaders, Home Minister P. Chidambaram said in the Lok Sabha Tuesday.
Replying to Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav’s demand that the government should hold discussions with Maoist leaders instead of countering them with weapons, Chidambaram said: “Chief ministers should renew their appeal for talks with Naxalites.”
He also urged Maoist leaders to respond to such calls by the chief ministers.
The home minister said during question hour that the government would hold a closed-door meeting with the chief ministers to discuss the issue of Naxalism after the parliament session.
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Lalu Prasad Yadav said the government could not eliminate Maoist guerrillas by killing people as it was the struggle between the “haves and have nots”.
Chidambaram said he did not speak of killing them or eliminating them.
“The original founder leaders of Naxal movement may be ideologically motivated. But today they are not. The Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) has clearly drawn a road map of armed struggle to capture power at the centre,” the minister said.
Chidambaram said the rebels were against development. “We build the road, they mine the road.”
“Today Naxalism is well coordinated under the CPI-Maoist,” the minister added.
He said weapons were being smuggled across the border. “There is no concrete evidence of any foreign country’s involvement in funding naxalite activities. Naxalites are able to collect money from within the country,” Chidambaram said.
rounak