Maoists rebel leader Kishanji not to ‘abjure’ violence against India

Posted on November 10, 2009 by Moin Ansari

INDIAN maoists rebel attack

Moaists control 40% of Bharati territory

AP A tribal woman (left) picks tomatoes lying scattered on a road as a security person looks on after suspected Maoists set on fire four trucks from Andhra Pradesh at Bundu, Jharkhand, on August 25, 2009.

Reacting to the Home Secretary’s statement that there was a possibility for dialogue with Maoists if they abjured violence, Maoist leader Kishanji said abjuring violence was not on their agenda. But they were ready for a ceasefire.

The Maoists are ready for a ceasefire with the government, but they will not accept Centre’s demand to abjure violence, top Maoist leader Kishanji said on Tuesday.

Reacting to Home Secretary G K Pillai’s statement that there was a possibility for dialogue with Maoists if they abjured violence, Kishanji told PTI over phone, “abjuring violence is not on our agenda. We believe in armed struggle.”

However, if the government took the initiative the Maoists were ready for a ceasefire, he said.

“The government can initiate a ceasefire unilaterally. We are also ready to declare a ceasefire,” the elusive leader said.

“We can fix some modalities and after which we can declare ceasefire. If the government is honest and really willing to speak with us then we will co-operate.”

Mr. Pillai had told a conference on last Sunday, “We have taken up (the issue of having dialogue with the Maoists). Home Minister (P Chidambaram) has written to (former Lok Sabha Speaker) Rabi Ray. He said please start. We got some reply.

Some dialogue, some process is starting. Let us see. But unless they give up violence I don’t think it is possible to talk.”

“Rabi Ray has been trying this for quite a long time.

Previously he wrote two letters to the Prime Minister, but there was no reply,” Kishnaji said. PTI

Keywords: Maoists, abjuring violence, Kishanji, ceasefire, Home Secretary, G K Pillai, P Chidambaram

Making it clear that Maoists would not be allowed to have a free run of the place, Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Tuesday said control over naxal-infested areas would be regained. “I am confident that in a period of two to three years we will be able to gain total control over these areas,” he said in an interactive session at the India Economic Summit here.

Since he took over as Home Minister, the States had got involved in tackling the naxal menace and “there is now co-ordinated action against the CPI (Maoists),” Mr. Chidambaram said. The naxals believed in an armed liberation struggle and wanted to expand their area of influence, he said, adding a democratic republican government could not allow this.

“We have to assert our authority.” It was wrong to think that India was more vulnerable in the “cross hairs of many groups,” he said and asserted “we have the capacity to thwart any attack should there be any attack.” The government was capable of containing the naxal menace in a “swift and decisive manner.”

Noting that the States were now taking counter-insurgency measures, he said, “We have had significant successes and we have suffered some casualties too.” He sought to assure the business community about the security situation in the country. “We are no more vulnerable than any other country in the world.”

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