Thursday, February 24 2005 15:12 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mangalore: Karnataka Chief Minister Dharam Singh today (Feb 24, 2005) said the Government was ready to hold talks with naxalites provided they gave up their weapons.

Describing the naxal menace as a "national problem", he said the Government was "ready to hold a dialogue with naxalites provided they discard their weapons", while addressing reporters at the temple town of Kukke Subramanya, 110 km from Mangalore.

"Otherwise the Government will give a fitting reply through a musket (light gun)," he said.

The inflow of pilgrims to such religious places has reduced due to the recent naxal encounter at Venkatammannahalli near Pavagadaga in which six police personnel were killed, he said.

In the light of this necessary security arrangements have been made to safeguard the pilgrims, Singh said ruling out any naxalite threat for the coming gram panchayat elections.

On the proposed mega ONGC project at Mangalore, he said the Rs 25,000 crore project would definitely come up.

Earlier, the Chief Minister dedicated the new sanctum sanctorum of the Kukke Subramanya temple by lighting a lamp. Sri Vidya Teertha Swamiji of Subramanya Mutt was also present on the occasion.