By IANS,
Kolkata : Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee Friday urged the Maoists to shun violence and join the mainstream of society, offering to take up the responsibility to facilitate talks between the rebels and the government.
“I asked the rebels to shun firearms and participate in the democratic process. They should join the mainstream. If they (Maoists) want, I can take the responsibility to mediate the talks between them and the central government,” she said at a political rally at Jhargram sub-division of West Midnapore district, about 165 km from here.
“We don’t support violence. But if anybody has anything to say, they can speak to us. We will try to facilitate their problem democratically and carry forward their message to the union government and the person concerned in the respective ministry,” Banerjee said.
She urged the villagers of West Bengal’s Maoist affected districts not to be scared and put up “mass resistance” against the rebels who are triggering violence in the region.
“I request all the villagers not to be scared of the armed Maoists. I urged them to come forward and put up a mass resistance to stop the violence.” Banerje said
The Trinamool Congress chief said her party will also hold political rallies in the Maoist belts in the coming days to restore peace in the region.
“I believe in development. If I get a chance to come to power in the state, I will set up industries in the western districts (Bankura, Purulia and West Midnapore),” the minister declared.
She also promised to run daily two local trains from Medinipur station to Jhargram.
“I will introduce two new local trains between West Midnapore and Jhargram by March this year, if I am allowed to run that. I will wait for next seven days and during that time if I get a green signal, I will start working on the project,” she said.