Parliamentary proceedings may be disrupted over Mamata's Maoist remark

New Delhi, Aug 19 (ANI): The Opposition is all set to stall proceedings in Parliament on Thursday over Railway Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee's defence of her pro-Maoist remarks at the recent Lalgarh rally.

Banerjee on Wednesday said that she stood by her statement that it was wrong to kill Maoist leader Cherukuri Rajkumar alias Azad.

"Whatever I said in Lalgarh, I stick to it. In our democratic set up, we always prefer an amicable settlement and a peaceful solution. In a democratic set up we are for amicable and peaceful solution. I have heard the Independence Day speeches of the President and the Prime Minister. They also spoke on the same lines," said Banerjee.

"If they (Maoists) respond to the President's and Prime Minister's appeal it is good for the country. Let the problem be solved through democratic process. It is the government to decide. I have seen only media reports (on Kishenji's statement). Let me cross check all details," she added, referring to Maoist leader Kishenji's statement calling for a three-month ceasefire by both sides and that they have no problem if Banerjee mediates.

On Tuesday, Maoist leader Kishenji offered a three-month ceasefire to the government for the sake of peace and for talks.

"President Pratibha Patil and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in their Independence Day speeches have appealed to the Maoists to abjure violence. We are never for violence but the government has instigated us to take up arms," Kishenji said from an undisclosed destination.

"We are always against terrorism and corruption of any kind...It has been our party's mandate to fight corruption and so we are mobilising people all over the country to ensure that they raise their voice against injustice," he added.

Kishenji also suggested some names of mediators including writer Arundhati Roy, singer and Trinamool Congress MP Kabir Suman, B D Sharma, Gopal Narlekar and Ramanna. (ANI)