Chidambaram's fresh appeal to Naxals

New Delhi: Another day, another Naxal attack. As the Home Minister was speaking to the military chiefs, in West Bengal's west Midnapore two policemen were killed and two were abducted.

And the Maoist politburo member Kishenji went on record to not just admit the beheading of Frances Induawar but also accused the government of betraying the people in backward areas.

"Chidambaram should apologise for betraying the people in backward areas. If Chidambaram wants to talk, he should withdraw MoUs with multinational corporations in adivasi areas," said Kishenji.

So, is India heading for a bloody civil confrontation between security forces and armed Maoists who already control 2000 police stations and 40,000 square kilometers of what's come to be called the country's red corridor.

Red Corridor

• Over 20 states
• 40,000 sq km area
  

Some human rights activists are hoping for a middle ground.

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In the capital on Tuesday well-known citizens such as Justice Rajendra Sachar, Magsaysay Award winners Aruna Roy and Sandeep Pandey met to start a dialogue on the government's anti-Maoist strategy. They said if the state sent in more forces, it would lead to genocide. And that already people were victims of state violence.

"Why do people pick up guns? Asked Aruna Roy, Activist.

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The Home Minister responded readily making a fresh offer for dialogue and also making it clear that Maoists had to be "treated differently".

In a letter written to the former Speaker Rabi Ray Chidambaram said: The Maoist leader were justifying violence and the only hurdle to holding talks with them was violence. He said Maoists should abjure violence and talk to the governments concerned.

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Chidambaram's Fresh Appeal

• Maoists are justifying violence
• Only hurdle is violence
• Abjure violence, let's talk
  

Over 40,000 troops are already there and 16000 more are to be sent into the forests off Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Orissa for a joint operation to try and reclaim areas under Maoist control.

The only thing that could stop it is if the Maoists accept, the offer for talks. It's a slim chance but one that peace deserves.