CHIDAMBARAM 3

Chidambaram said "he (Kishenji) is the leader of an
organisation declared as unlawful. Therefore, as one
representing the government, I have no no intention of
responding to him."

He said a few days ago when former Lok Sabha Speaker Rabi
Ray and his friends issued a statement suggesting that
violence should stop and talks should begin he felt it was his
duty to write to him and state what the government policy is.
"Let me state it in carefully chosen words that if any
group abjures violence we are willing to talk to that group
about any genuine grievances. This is what the Prime Minister
has said, this is what I have said. We have not asked them to
anything more. We simply say halt the violence and then we can
talk," he said.
Asked if laying down arms is not a condition, Chidambaram
said he had not not used those words.
"Besides I am too practical to know they will not lay
down arms. They have to halt violence which means halt the
wanton destruction of railway track, roads, telephone towers,
school buildings, bridges, halt kidnapping and extortion.
"Violence must be stopped and then with the help of
well-meaning people, we can find a way in which the state
governments primarily can talk to the groups in that state and
the Central government will afford any assistance it can to
facilitate such talks," he said. (More)PTI MKR
JVN


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