State-Maoist peace talks a complex process: West Bengal Governor

Kolkata, Nov.21 (ANI): West Bengal Governor M.K. Narayanan has termed the process of talks between the state government and the Maoists as an inherently 'complex' one.

He said this on the sidelines of a function organised by the West Bengal Police here on Sunday. He also highlighted the multi-dimensional nature of the parleys with the Left extremists.

Despite strong measures initiated by the central government to crush the ultras, the Maoist insurgency has gripped nearly one-third of the country in its violent tentacles, spreading into the interiors of 20 of India's 28 states.

The guerrilla war, waged mostly from the forests of central and eastern India by ultras of the banned outfit, Communist Party of India-Maoist, now poses the country's biggest internal security threat, say analysts.

The prime victims of the mindless wave of atrocities and fear spearheaded by Maoists since decades as part of a violent, ideology-driven struggle for 'rights and development of the 'marginalised' are the common people - the innocent villagers and tribals living in rural interiors.

Interestingly, a day earlier, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had asked the specially-appointed panel of interlocutors to continue their mediation with Maoists ultras in the state, in a bid to resolve the long-standing issue that has turned into a political potboiler.

Speaking to mediapersons, Narayanan asserted that peace talks with Maoists seemed to be 'an experiment' by the government to defuse the problem.

"I think it (peace talks between the government and the Maoist rebels) is a complicated problem. It is not merely a question of law and order. It is not merely a question of development. It is not merely a question of perceptions. It is a combination of all these. So, each government tries or experiments with its own methods. I think the present government is experimenting with offering talks. The Maoist side had laid down very difficult conditions for the talks. And then, meanwhile, there have been instances of violence. The state government has necessary time to react to that. But, I think the offer of talks is still on the table. So, it is a combination of these. Whether it is right or wrong will be decided on whether it succeeds or does not succeed," said Narayanan.

A recent crackdown on rebel-dominated areas had raised hopes that the government was winning the battle against the Maoists whom Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has described as India's biggest internal security threat.

However, the latest string of attacks by Maoist ultras, including repeated strikes and ambushes targeting security personnel deployed in the insurgency-affected areas, has led to fears that security forces are ill prepared to deal with the threat.

Since the past few years, the rebels have stepped up their efforts against the government, targeting and damaging democratic and civil institutions of the nation, such as schools, medical centres and government property.

Maoists have also significantly increased their presence in tribal and rural regions in the affected states of central Chhattisgarh state and eastern states such as Bihar, West Bengal and Orissa. (ANI)