Tuesday, September 19 2006 10:50 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Raipur: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh has said the Central Government alone should initiate talks with Maoist rebels as attempts by State Governments have proved futile.

"We will not initiate peace dialogue with the rebels but wait for New Delhi to do so to bring an end to the decade-long leftist violence," Singh said.

"Maoist violence is a national problem and individual states cannot manage it. Andhra Pradesh held talks on its own a few years ago but they turned out to be futile," Singh told sources in an interview.

Chhattisgarh is among 13 Indian states hit hard by leftist violence. The violence has escalated since June last year with the state government joining in a civil militia movement, Salwa Judum, (Campaign for Peace) launched by tribals of the Bastar region.

"The problems and demands of Maoist areas - mainly of land reforms - can be handled by the central government only," Singh said.

Chhattisgarh has borne the brunt of stepped up Maoist violence in the country during recent years. Rebels, who have infrastructure in 4,000 sq km of inaccessible Abujhmad in Bastar protected by landmines all around, have killed hundreds of tribal civilians in raids at relief camps and policemen in landmines attacks.

"The terror movement of Maoists has to come to an end sooner or later. If militancy in Punjab can be crushed, why not the Maoists' terror?" Singh asked.

The Maoist movement that began in 1967 from a village in West Bengal has now spilled over to other states. In Chhattisgarh alone, at least 260 people, mostly civilians, have been killed since January this year in Maoist violence.