No proof of China funding Naxals: PC

Mumbai
Oct. 7: Union home minister P. Chidambaram on Wednesday said that there is no evidence that the Naxal movement in India is being funded by China. He also appealed to the Communist Party of India (Maoist) to give up violence and start a dialogue with the government. “There is no evidence that the Naxals are getting funds from foreign countries. They are able to raise resources within the country. Besides, they also resort to bank robberies and kidnappings to raise funds,” the home minister said in a press conference held in Mumbai.
Mr Chidambaram also said that the confrontation with the Naxals is not a war. “The government and my position on Naxals is clear. It is the Naxals who believe in an armed struggle and they call it war. But we do not wage war against our own people. My appeal to them is that they should first abjure violence and take the path of dialogue,” he said.
However, the home minister also clarified that the government will do everything to tackle the armed struggle of the Naxal movements and restrict their further spread. “We can discuss all of their issues, including neglect, deprivation, corruption, governance system etc. But no democracy in the world that has taken an oath under the Constitution to accept an armed liberation struggle. Therefore, there will be a dialogue only when they abjure violence,” he said.
Mr Chidambaram’s comments came a day after Jharkhand police inspector Francis Induwar, who had been abducted on September 30, was found beheaded on the Ranchi-Jamshedpur highway.
Regarding the Naxal threat to the life of political leaders campaigning for the Maharashtra Assembly elections, Mr Chidambaram clarified that there are no specific intelligence reports.

Source::DC