Chhattisgarh government ready to hold dialogue with Naxals

Raipur: The Chhattisgarh government on Sunday said it was ready to hold a dialogue with Naxals under the purview of democracy and constitution.

"Mutual dialogue is the foundation of democracy. The state government is ready for talk with any side, including Maoists, to solve the Naxal issue.

"Government's doors for talks with Naxals are always open provided that the dialogue must be under the purview of democracy and constitution," state's Home Minister Ramsewak Paikra said in a statement on sunday.

The Minister said Chief Minister Raman Singh had already said many a times in past that the government is ready for peace talk with naxals if they shun violence and arms.

Moreover, the Chief Minister had also said that the government was ready to embrace naxals, who want to surrender and join the mainstream, Paikra said.

The state government has formulated an attractive surrender and rehabilitation policy for Maoists who wish to surrender and lead a peaceful life, he said, adding that surrendered cadres are taking benefits of the policy.

"The government's policy and intention is clear for a permanent solution of the Maoist problem," he said.

The statement comes in the wake of media reports that the Supreme Court on Friday had asked the Centre and Chhattisgarh government to initiate peace talks to end Maoist violence in the state.