Talks with Naxals only after they put arms down: Chidambaram

New Delhi, Oct 23 (ANI): Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram said here on Friday that the Centre can advice state governments to initiate a dialogue with Maoists only after the ultras abjure violence.

Interacting with the media on the sidelines of the Indo Tibet Border Police's (ITBP) Raising Day parade, Chidambaram said: "CPI (Maoist) must abjure violence. They have to abjure violence and then we can work out the process for talks and then we will advice the state governments to talk to them."

"We can help the state governments to talk to them. But first they have to abjure violence," he added.

Commenting on the funding network of terror organizations he said: "You can't have a plan to restrict terror funding. We have tracked three to four cases where we suspect funds have been used to finance the terrorists.

They are under investigation. I can't disclose anything more."

Earlier, in a letter written to the former Lok Sabha Speaker Rabi Ray, Chidambaram said violence that is being carried out by the red ultras is the only hurdle before holding the dialogue.

"If the CPI (Maoist) will make a statement to that effect and call a halt to violence, government would be willing to start a process through which the state governments concerned and the central government can hold talks with them on any issue that concerns them and the people they claim to represent," Chidambaram had stated in the letter.

In his letter, the Home Minister also raised concern over the statements made by Maoist leaders Ganapathy and Kishanji justifying the violence and armed struggle. (ANI)