Renounce Violence for Dialogue, Chidambaram to Maoists

A day after maoists beheaded a cop, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram has said that rebels should give up their “armed liberation struggle” to pave the way for dialogue and the development of violence-hit states.

In press conference in Mumbai, while declining to term actions against the rebels as ‘war’, Chidambaram said: “It is Naxalites who believe in violence, who use words like war and war preparation. We do not treat it as war.

The minister said that the Centre has asked the governments of states affected by Maoist violence to take up for discussion the issues of development, neglect, deprivation and government structure if rebels give up arms.

“Unless violence stops, no development is possible… Violence is simply unacceptable in a democracy and republic. No government which has taken oath under constitution can accept an armed liberation struggle,” he said.

“We have no option but to ask the security forces to engage them (Maoists), apprehend them. It (Maoist violence) has grown over last 10-12 years… As long as Naxalites do not abjure violence the security forces will confront them, engage them,” the minister added.

He asked for surrendering arms, for the government and the Maoists claim to represent the same group of people and the issue, he stressed, needed to be dealt with in a democratic way.

In addition, the minister said that no foreign aid was being provided to the Maoists to wage their movement.

“There is no evidence of Naxalites getting money from abroad. They are able to raise money inside the country. But they also loot banks, kidnap and extort,” he added.