Kolkata, Febuary 22
The Maoists tonight made a conditional ceasefire offer asking the government to halt the offensive against them for 72 days and involve mediators for talks.
“State governments and the Centre should not indulge in violence between February 25 and May 7, and concentrate on development of tribal areas, which will be reciprocrated by Maoists,” top Maoist leader Kishenji said over phone from an undisclosed place.
He was responding to Union Home Minister P Chidamabaram’s statement last week that if the Maoists halted violence for 72 hours, the government would be ready for talks with them.
In New Delhi, a Union Home Ministry official said the government was “studying” the Maoist offer and will come with a response at an “appropriate time”.
Kishenji said, “This is not a problem of 72 hours, rather it can take 72 days to solve the problem.”
— PTI
