Maoists ready for talks with Govt, demands ceasefire

Kolkata: Faced with an impending security force operation, a top leader of the Maoists Thursday said the ultras were ready for talks with the Centre provided some of their conditions were met, including withdrawal of paramilitary forces deployed in naxal-hit states.

Detailing the conditions, top Maoist leader Kishenji said over phone that the Centre would have to first withdraw para-military forces deployed in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Bihar, Jharkhand and parts of West Bengal and secondly the problems of tribals would have to be treated in a sympathetic way.

"Also both the Centre and the state governments will have to apologise to the tribals for the prolonged torture meted out to them and the consequent suffering from the time of Independence," Kishenji said.

Asked what should be the nature of the apology, Kishenji said without elaborating, "They will have to come to the tribals and apologise."

Asked about Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's statement yesterday in which he referred to the systematic exploitation and social, economic abuse of tribals over the years while emphasising on change of ways of dealing with them in the battle to win their hearts, Kishenji said, "It as nothing but an eyewash".