Government Should Respond to Maoist Offer

We welcome the announcement by the Communist Party of India (Maoist) to observe a ceasefire and enter into talks with the government of India. Given the government’s expressed willingness to engage in talks, we hope that this offer will be reciprocated. This necessarily requires an immediate halt to all paramilitary armed offensive operations (commonly known as Operation Green Hunt). It is also imperative that there should be complete cessation of all hostilities by both sides during the currency of the talks.

We are of the view that the central government, and not the state governments, should be the authority to conduct talks as the problem covers various states.