Maoists want peace, claims Swami Agnivesh

CNN-IBN
Posted on Sep 29, 2010 at 15:13 | Updated Sep 29, 2010 at 15:47

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New Delhi: Social activist Swami Agnivesh on Wednesday claimed that Maoists were keen on talks and the Government should respond positively.

"The Maoists are very keen. They have expressed their desire to come on table to discuss peace," Agnivesh said.

"No, no. As a matter of fact they have put up their demands which means they want to talk. One of the demands out of the three is to continue with the peace process," he replied when asked about the killing of abducted Bihar policeman Lokus Tete by the rebels.

Swami Agnivesh is in touch with Chhattisgarh government and is trying to negotiate with the Maoists for the safe release of abducted policemen.

Maoists had abducted seven policemen near the Andhra Pradesh-Chhattisgarh border on September 19 and killed three of them. The extended deadline set by the Maoists for the safe release of four policemen would come to an end on Wednesday evening.

The Raman Singh government has established contact with the Maoists and is being helped by the Andhra government in carrying out the negotiations.

The Maoists have demanded that the government halt Operation Green Hunt immediately, release their comrades from jails, end police atrocities and initiate peace talks.

(ibn live)