Trinmool M P ready to mediate with Maoists

Kolkata, Mar 12(ANI): Singer-turned politician Kabir Suman on Thursday expressed his willingness to mediate between Maoists and Union Government.

Earlier this month, Maoist leader Koteshwar Rao had said Maoists would shun violence if the Centre welcomed intellectuals to facilitate the process and specifically named writer Arundhati Roy, former bureaucrat B D Sharma and Kabir Suman as possible mediators.

"The entire ball is now in the government's court. If Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union Home Minister P Chidambaram want to talk to the Maoists to resolve the issue, I think the matter can be sorted out," Suman said.

"I am absolutely ready to mediate the process of dialogue if both the parties come forward and talk it out. I have no moral scruples being middleman between the Maoists and the centre," he added.

Suman represents West Bengal's Jadhavpur constituency in the Lok Sabha.

He opined that tribals have a very strong reason to raise their voice against the ongoing operation against the Maoists.

Suman also criticized that Centre's decision to carry out operation against the Maoists.

He however, denied of having any contacts with Maoist leaders.

"I don't know who this Kishanji is. I have never met him in my life," Suman said.

Meanwhile, Arundhati Roy had said she is ready to be an independent observer if the Centre agrees to hold peace talks with the Maoists but cannot act as a representative for the aoists. (ANI)