Raipur, Apr 2: Ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah's scheduled visit to Bastar in Chhattisgarh, the Maoists have expressed their willingness to engage in peace negotiations.

Reportedly, a spokesperson of the Maoist central committee issued a pamphlet, printed in Telugu language, in Chhattisgarh capital Raipur.

He conceded that 400 of their "comrades had been killed over the past 15 months".

The spokesperson affirmed that they are prepared to enter peace talks, provided the government is ready to cease ongoing operations against them (Maoists).

Home Minister Amit Shah is expected to visit the state on April 4-5.

He will hold a review meeting of the ongoing anti-LWE drive in the state.

Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister, Vijay Sharma, who is also the state Home Minister, responded by affirming the government's openness to constructive dialogue but underscored that such discussions must be free of preconditions.

He emphasised that if the Maoists are earnest in their desire to reintegrate into mainstream society, they must transparently and publicly declare the terms of engagement.

Sharma further clarified that any dialogue must adhere strictly to the principles enshrined in the Indian Constitution.

He cautioned that negotiations grounded in extremist ideologies, attempt to impose a parallel system, would render the talks untenable.

In the pamphlets, the Maoist spokesperson revealed that the LWEs had convened a meeting in Hyderabad on March 24, during which they resolved to propose peace negotiations without any preconditions and to announce a ceasefire following the talks.

The spokesperson reportedly further said that Chhattisgarh's Home Minister Vijay Sharma had previously initiated efforts for peace talks.

However, when Vikalpa, a representative of the Maoist organisation and a member of the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee, stipulated that security forces should remain confined to their camps as a condition for the talks, the government had not responded.

Operations continued, resulting in the deaths of over 400 leaders, commanders, fighters, with hundreds more arrested and incarcerated.

The spokesperson reportedly said the Maoists are now willing to engage in peace talks in the public interest.

He proposed that the central and state governments should create a conducive environment for negotiations by ceasing operations and establishment of new armed forces camps in Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra (Gadchiroli), Odisha, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Telangana.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, during his visits to Raipur and Jagdalpur in August and December 2024, issued stern warnings to the Maoists from various platforms, urging them to lay down their arms. He firmly stated that acts of violence would be met with decisive action by the security forces.

Home Minister Shah also declared an ambitious deadline, stating that LWE would be eradicated from the country by March 31, 2026.

Following this announcement, anti-LWE operations in Bastar have intensified significantly, reflecting the government’s commitment to addressing the insurgency.

(IANS)

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