Responding to the ceasefire offer by Maoists, the government on Tuesday made it clear that it will not accept any preconditions for talks with ?ifs and buts? and asked the rebels to come out with a simple statement saying they will abjure violence.
?I would like no ifs, no buts and no conditions,? home minister P Chidambaram said in a statement, a day after the CPI (Maoist) made a conditional ceasefire offer asking the government to halt its offensive against them for 72 days and involve mediators for talks.
He said the government has seen many versions of a statement reportedly made by leaders of the CPI (Maoist). ?In the absence of an authentic statement, government is unable to respond to these versions,? the statement said.
?I would like a short, simple statement from the CPI (Maoist) saying we will abjure violence and we are prepared for talks.?
Chidambaram said he would like the statement to be faxed to the home ministry number 011-23093155. ?Once I receive the statement, I shall consult the Prime Minister and other colleagues and respond promptly,? he said.
On Monday, Maoist leader Kishenji told the media over phone from an undisclosed place that ?state governments and the Centre should not indulge in violence between February 25 and May 7 and concentrate on development of tribal areas which will be reciprocated by Maoists?.
But hours later, a member of the People?s Committee against Police Atrocities (PCPA) was killed when securitymen repulsed a Maoist-backed attack on their camp in the Kantapahari region of West Midnapore.
But, the PCPA claimed that three of its activists were shot dead by security forces.
West Midnapore SP Manoj Verma said PCPA members assembled near the Kantapahari camp of the security forces and fired indiscriminately. The securitymen returned fire, killing a PCPA member.
The PCPA claimed that three ?innocent villagers? Lalmohan Tudu, Yubraj Murmu and Suchitra Murmu were killed in firing by the security forces.