Maoists ready for ceasefire, won't give up arms: Kishenji

Reacting to Home Secretary G K Pillai's statement that there was a possibility for dialogue with Maoists if they abjured violence, Kishenji told reporters, "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." Pillai had told a conference 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," Kishneji said.

"I also have copies of the letter. Now the Home Minister says that he had written to Rabi Ray and expressed hope that some dialogue has started," Kishenji said. Asked whether Pillai's offer was positive on the government's willingness to talk, Kishenji said "Pillai has said nothing new. That is what Chidambaram has been saying for the last one month. "We ask the government to come out with a concrete proposal. We will work on that." Kishenji said.

When told that Pillai had said if Maoists abjured violence and start dialogue, operations against them would stop, Kishenji said "They are trying to impose certain things on us which we will never accept. "They have not accepted our conditions and are speaking unilaterally. They need to ask us and then only the real environment of a dialogue can be created," the Maoist leader said. He alleged that the police had opened fire on people in the last two days at Goaltore, Sijuya, Kadasole, Dharampur and Salboni in West Midnapore district.