Khunti (Jharkhand): Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren yesterday offered talks to the Maoists and other extremists, the JMM-led government's first offer after taking over the reins in July.
"We are ready for a dialogue," Soren said while laying online foundations for welfare projects to the tune of Rs 135 crore in Khunti district.
Expressing concern over the historic district's image being tarnished following extremism, Soren appealed to the misguided youth to join the mainstream and participate in the development of the state.
Soren, who took over as the chief minister on July 13, said his government was keeping a vigil on the naxal-hit district.
Twenty of the 24 districts in Jharkhand are officially naxal-hit with the police department uploading database of 16,000 naxalites and naming 19 naxal organisations, including the CPI (Maoist) and its splinter group the People's Liberation Front of India.
