Maoists in return send a mobile number Home ministry to contact them

 Maoist leaders will respond to the Union Home Ministry by sending a fax about their 72-day ceasefire proposal on Wednesday.
The Ministry had on Tuesday released statement signed by Home Minister P Chidambaram which called for the Maoists to send a fax about their ceasefire offer.

"I would like a short, simple statement from Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoists). I would like no ifs, no buts. They should send the fax to 011-23093155. Once we receive the fax, I'll consult the Prime Minister and other colleagues and respond promptly," Home Ministry Spokesperson Onkar Kedia read from the statement.

Chidambaram has made it clear that talks could happen only if the Maoists don't attach any conditions.

The road to peace now awaits a fax to 011-23093155 in Chidambaram's office. If the leadership of CPI-Maoists sends a fax, Chidambaram will consult the Prime Minister and other colleagues and promises to respond promptly

But the attitude of the government has come under sharp criticism from Maoist ideologues and sysmpathisers and even Lok Sabha MPs from the ruling UPA.

The big fear within the government is that the Maoists will use the ceasefire to regroup and rearm themselves.

But the Maoists are also under pressure as Chidambaram has rejected any conditional talks, the civil society has called for an end to the bloodshed and there is a fear of antagonising the tribal constituency in the long-drawn guerilla warfare.

In less than 24 hours, the ball is back in the Maoists' court. The big question is that will the Maoists send the fax that Chidambaram wants them to?

The Maoists responded by Tuesday evening saying they are ready to send fax as requested by Chidambaram after seeing the Home Minister's official statement in Wednesday's newspapers.

They will send their fax of their offer to Home Ministry and Prime Minister's Office.

Maoists offer to talk in details with government on February 25 at 1700 hrs IST. They are also waiting for call from Government on Maoist leader Koteswar Rao alis Kishanji number: 0-9734695789

On Tuesday morning, West Bengal Police had claimed that the Maoists had attacked another Joint Forces Camp in Lalgarh and in the exchange of fire Lalmohan Tudu, chief of the People's Committee Against Police Atrocities died along with two Maoist cadres.

But human rights activists alleged that the police had staged the killing of the three men.