Click to play videoPatna: Naxal leaders have offered to start peace talks with Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren just hours after Soren, while speaking to CNN-IBN, defended the rebels as ordinary villagers and opposed armed action against them.
"These Naxals are not foreigners. They are villagers (and) attacking them would backfire. We must investigate before taking any action," Soren had said.
Less than 24 hours after Soren explained his strategy to counter Naxal violence, the Jharkhand Maoists responded offering to begin talks but on their terms.
"We are ready to talk with Shibu Soren. But first the government must create a conducive environment. There should be a ceasefire. We talk about all the issues," said Naxal leader Gopalji.
Soren made it clear that he doesn't believe in going all out against the Naxals as is being advocated by the Center and by the other Naxal-affected states.
But his soft approach towards Naxals might face opposition from his own police force especially after the Naxals admitted to beheading police officer Francis Induvar.
"There can be some differences in the way he has been eliminated. But as far as his job is concerned, he was there to eliminate us. His removal is a part of the war," Gopalji said about Induvar's brutal killing.
Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, too, has offered to talk to the Naxals provided they lay down arms.
But if Soren accedes to the demand for conditional talks laid down by Gopalji he will not only have to face opposition in Jharkhand but also face an uphill task defending his decision at the next meeting of Naxal-affected state Chief Minister's next month.
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