Kolkata, Nov 10 (IANS) Asserting that they were ready for a ceasefire, the Maoists Tuesday night said the central government should come out with a written proposal for dialogue, and rebutted the government’s demand for end to violence as a pre-requisite for talks.

Regretting that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and union Home Minister P. Chidambaram have not responded to an open letter written by him, Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) politburo member Koteswar Rao alias Kishenji told IANS that the joint forces combating the rebels must be withdrawn first.

‘The joint forces (of the centre and the respective states) perpetrating atrocities on the people in tribal areas and jungles must be withdrawn. The government should also set free the people arrested in connection with our agitation,’ the top Maoist leader said over phone from an undisclosed destination.

Responding to union Home Secretary G.K. Pillai’s statement that the Maoists should shun violence to pave the way for talks, Kishenji said: ‘We are opposed to violence. We don’t indulge in violence on our own. It’s the government which lets lose violence on us.’

‘Look at the way the security forces torture our people, the poorer sections fighting for their rights. The government should stop violence first and declare a ceasefire.’

‘I have written to the prime minister and the home minister. But they have not replied. They should. And if the government is serious about a dialogue with us, it should write to our general secretary with a concrete proposal,’ he said.