Home Minister P Chidambaram said on Wednesday there can be no talks with Naxal groups till violence persists."I have offered talks with Naxal groups provided they abjure violence," he said replying to questions in Rajya Sabha.
"We can talk about any subject -- development, infrastructure, governance -- we can talk any subject provided the Naxals abjure violence. ...but, as long as violence persists, I see no scope for talks," he said.
Chidambaram said some civil society organisations had indicated that they could facilitate talks with Naxal groups but no concrete proposal has come so far.
"We are willing to hold talks with Naxal groups, facilitate their talks with state governments. But the condition is they should formally abjure violence," he said. "I have said that if they abjure violence, I will respond within 72 hours."
"There is no dialogue at the moment with Naxal groups," he said.
Incidents of Naxal violence have increased following the merger of Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) and Maoist Communist Centre in 2004 to form the Communist Party of India (Maoist).
"CPI (Maoist) is the most potent group in terms of spread, strength and violence profile, accounting for nearly 90 per cent of all Naxal violence," Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Maken said.
It mainly raises funds from contractors and businessmen by imposing levy, extortion and by looting banks.
"The CPI (Maoist) sources its arms and ammunition primarily from looting security forces and from purchases through clandestine means," he added.
Maken said the Government has launched a multi-pronged development strategy in the Naxal-affected districts. Rs 7,300 crore have been sanctioned for building roads and the Centre is providing grant for construction of schools and hostels in those districts.
Chidambaram clarified that no Cabinet minister was a supporter of Naxal violence, apparently dismissing charges that Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee was sympathizing with Maoists.
He said a group of people from West Midnapore district in West Bengal formed a group to protest against police atrocities.
"One or two of my (Cabinet) colleagues visited the area in order to talk to that group to find out what their complaint was against the police," he said. Chidambaram, however, did not name the ministers.
The ministers had met the group believing it had nothing to do with CPI-Maoist. But once it was discovered that it was a CPI-Maoist front organisation, they disassociated.
He said the ministers had "never supported" Naxal. They are "totally against (Naxal) violence." The Home Minister said it was only a perception that ministers were supporting the Naxal movement. PTI
