Ready for peace talks if Centre stops ‘Operation Kagar’, says CPI (Maoist) Central Committee

CPI (Maoist) calls for peace talks to end 'Operation Kagar' and violence against tribal people in India.

The Communist Party of India (Maoist) Central Committee has expressed its readiness for peace talks with the Central and State governments if they stop the ongoing ‘Operation Kagar’, what it termed as genocide, in Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra (Gadchiroli), Odisha, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Telangana, and setting up of new camps as part of the ‘military offensive’ by the security forces.

In a statement purportedly issued in the name of the outlawed CPI (Maoist) Central Committee on Wednesday (April 2, 2025), its spokesperson Abhay said “We welcome the round table organised by the ‘Peace talks committee’ in Hyderabad on March 24 on the topic - Union Government and the CPI (Maoist) should announce unconditional ceasefire and hold peace talks, in the present scenario.”

“We are always ready for peace talks keeping in view people’s interests. Hence, putting forward these proposals to the Central and State governments to create a conducive atmosphere for peace talks. If the Central and State governments positively respond to these proposals, we will immediately announce a ceasefire.”

He further said, “The Hindutva fascist BJP-led regime at the Centre launched a military offensive against its own people in the name of Operation Kagar undermining the lives of tribal people and fundamental constitutional provisions. This brutal offensive is aimed at crushing the revolutionary movement for Jal, Jungle, Zameen rights of Adivasis, promoting corporate interests to allow plunder of the natural resources, eventually decimate the federal system in the country and establish an autocratic unitary State.”

“More than 400 persons including several leaders and cadres of our party, commanders and members of the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA), ordinary Adivasi people were killed in the brutal offensive by the State across various States mainly Chhattisgarh in the last 15 months. Adivasis constitute one-third (1/3) of those killed in Operation Kagar,” Abhay alleged.

We request all sections of the society including Civil Rights, Adivasi, Dalit, and Youth organisations, as well as the Peace Talks Committee to conduct a nation-wide campaign to exert pressure on the Central and State governments for peace talks based on the proposals put forth by us, he added.