After weeks of violence and some of the worst Naxal attacks that India has seen, the Naxals have offered a 72-day ceasefire to the government, starting February 25.
Speaking to NDTV's Sampad Mahapatra, Naxal leader Kishenji said that the offer is conditional - he wants the government to stop any operations against the Naxals. Labelled Operation Greenhunt, the government is in the process of a gigantic counter-offensive against the Naxals in states like Orissa, Jharkhand and West Bengal.
Kishenji also says that he wants intellectuals and human rights activists to mediate the talks.
Sources in the Home Ministry have told NDTV that the government can consider the offer if there are no preconditions. They also suggested that the Maoists are under pressure and this offer is a ploy for them to regroup.
On Saturday, Home Minister P Chidambaram had repeated his offer of talks to the Naxals; he said if they would abjure violence for 72 hours, he was willing to negotiate with them.
Kishenji's offer of a ceasefire for 72 days instead of 72 hours seems to be a case of political upmanship, say experts.
Last week, Naxals attacked a police camp in Bengal's West Midnapore and killed 24 jawans. Seven of those jawans were burnt alive in their tents. The attack has revealed that there were serious intelligence lapses on the part of the state government.
A few days later, 10 villagers were killed in Phulwari in Bihar's Jamui district in what was described as a revenge attack by the Naxals. They wanted to retaliate against informers in the village who helped the police to capture some Naxals operating in the area.
