New Delhi:
The arrest of Maoist leader Telugu Deepak seems to have increased the pressure on Maoists to come to the talks table.
(Read & Watch: Maoist leader Kishenji's deputy arrested)In a fresh statement issued on behalf of Kishenji, while demanding Telugu Deepak's immediate release, the Maoists have called for talks with the Home Ministry on how to implement a ceasefire. This is a significant change of stance.
In his ceasefire offer made recently, Kishenji had said the Maoists are willing to implement a 72-hour ceasefire if the government stops its operations.
But their latest statement does not mention any conditions for a ceasefire and instead suggests they are willing to sit down for talks on when and how to implement a ceasefire.
"In response to Chidambaram's offer as soon we announced that we were willing to suspend operations if the state too stopped operations, Lal Mohan Tudu, one of the prominent leaders in Lalgarh was murdered by the security forces. This shows that the state isn't keen on a dialogue. Second, the Ministry of Home Affairs hasn't yet responded to our offer. We feel both sides, the Ministry and the Maoists, should sit across the table and decide how and when to stop operations on both sides. The DMK and TMC are misleading the people on the issue of price rise. And finally, West Bengal state Maoist Committee member Deepak should be released immediately," said Kishenji's aide Raju.
The Union Home Ministry however maintains that if the Maoist's are serious about talking to the government, they should stop violence just 72 hours and the Ministry would surely respond to that gesture.
The Ministry also maintains that there have been 18 incidents of violence since Kishenji made his first conditional offer. This includes a school building being blown up and several heinous attacks on innocent civilians.
Telugu Deepak, arrested in Kolkata on Tuesday and remanded to police custody till March 17, was a military strategist for the Maoists and a close aide of Kishenji, the Maoist leader who is in charge of operations in West Bengal and other eastern states.
In fact, Kishenji and Deepak had together come from Andhra Pradesh to West Bengal 15 years ago to set up base in that state.
Telugu Deepak was involved in Maoist operations in Nandigram and may have even masterminded the attack on the EFR camp at Silda on February 15 that left 24 jawans dead.