Police in Chhattisgarh said on Tuesday that they were verifying the authenticity of a letter, issued in the name of the central committee of the banned CPI (Maoist), which claimed that the rebels were ready to “declare a temporary halt to the armed struggle” and hold talks with the government.
The letter comes at a time when the Maoists have been dealing with repeated blows, including the killing of their top leaders, as the security forces in Chhattisgarh stepped up operations against them.
The letter, titled ‘Temporarily abandoning the armed struggle’, was purportedly written on August 25 and made public on Tuesday.
The letter said the Maoists were “taking forward the process of peace talks” and mentioned “continuous requests” to them from the Prime Minister and Home Minister to lay down arms. “We have decided to declare a temporary halt to the armed struggle. We are making it clear that in the future, we will fight shoulder to shoulder with all political parties and struggling organisations as far as possible on public issues,” the purported letter said.
It also said they were ready to hold talks with the Union Home Minister, “or persons appointed by him or with a delegation”, and suggested that discussions be held over video call. It also appealed to the government to stop search operations against Maoists.
It further asked for one month’s time to “consult with the comrades working in different states across the country and those imprisoned” regarding this “new approach”.
Reacting to the letter, Chhattisgarh Home Minister Vijay Sharma said, “We are verifying this letter. If there is truth in this letter, then we will discuss on this issue. The obstacle that is always faced (in peace talks) is that they (the Maoists) first need to drop their weapons.”
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Inspector General of Police for Bastar Range, Sundarraj P, said, “We have taken note of a press release issued in the name of the CPI (Maoist) Central Committee regarding the laying down of arms and the prospect of peace talks. The authenticity of this release is being verified, and its contents are under careful examination. It is reiterated that any decision on engagement or dialogue with the CPI (Maoist) lies solely with the government, which will take an appropriate call after due consideration and assessment of the situation and circumstances.
