By IANS,
New Delhi : Home Minister P. Chidambaram said Wednesday that there were “suggestions” of talks with Maoists in West Bengal where violence levels had come down sharply.
The home minister said the state police chief had informed him that the “level of violence has come down to nearly zero” in the state, where the 34-year-old communist rule has ended following the sweeping electoral victory by Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress.
He said intelligence-based operations are still taking place in West Bengal “but these are only select operations”. There are suggestions that talks are possible, Chidambaram added.
“There are suggestions that some kind of talks are possible (with leftist armed rebels). These are suggestions in the air,” Chidambaram told reporters.
He was asked about reports that operations against Maoists in the state had been suspended by the state government.
But Chidambaram said it would be “wrong to say” that the operations against Maoists in the state had been halted completely.
“I think intelligence based operations are still taking place in West Bengal in affected areas. But these are only select operation and arms have been seized,” he said.
He said the state government had the authority to halt operations against Maoists “as long as there is no violence”.
“I think we should allow the new government to assess the situation and take a position,” he said.