Give specific dialogue date for talks: Swami Agnivesh asks Maoists

KOLKATA - A day after Maoist leader Koteshwar Rao alias Kishenji said they are ready to observe a three-month ceasefire for talks, social activist Swami Agnivesh has said Kishenji should come forward with a concrete step, not only public statements.

“Kishenji should come forward with a concrete step, not only public statements. He should propose the date for talks in a written format rather than routing it through the media,” Agnivesh said.

“Earlier too, he (Kishenji) gave proposals for peace talks and a ceasefire for 72 hours. He should produce something in writing and I will approach the government with that,” Agnivesh added.

“Kishenji can send me the confidential written format either through post or on my mail address. An advance notice period of seven to ten days should also be given for the Centre to consult with the Chief Ministers of the affected States and prepare for the dialogue,” he added.

He said that even though the ceasefire period can be extended for three months or beyond, abjuring violence for an initial 72 hours would help the peace process to actually start.

On Tuesday, Kishenji conveyed through the media suggestion of a three-month ceasefire for the sake of peace and for talks.

“President Pratibha Patil and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in their Independence Day speeches, have appealed to the Maoists to abjure violence. We are never for violence but the government has instigated us to take up arms,” Kishenji said from an undisclosed destination.

“We are always against terrorism and corruption of any kind…It has been our party’s mandate to fight corruption and so we are mobilising people all over the country to ensure that they raise their voice against injustice,” he added.

Kishenji also suggested some names of mediators including writer Arundhati Roy, singer and Trinamool Congress MP Kabir Suman, B D Sharma, Gopal Narlekar and Ramanna.(ANI)