Maoists have to abjure violence for talks: Chidambaram

NEW DELHI: The Centre can advice the state governments to talk to Maoists if the ultras abjure violence, Home Minister P Chidambaram said today.

"CPI (Maoist) must abjure violence. They have to abjure violence and then we can work out the process (of talks) and then we will advice the state governments to talk to them.

"We can help the state governments to talk to them. But first they have to abjure violence," he said on the sidelines of the 48th raising day of ITBP.

On terror funding, he said, "You can't have a plan to restrict terror funding. We have tracked three to four cases where we suspect funds have been used to finance the terrorists. They are under investigation. I can't disclose anything more".

When asked about the quitting of a judge in Pakistan dealing with the Mumbai attacks cases, Chidambaram shot back, "Why are you surprised? I am not surprised".

On bail to women Maoists leading to the release of abducted police officer Atindranath Dutta in West Bengal, Chidambaram said, "This is a decision that the West Bengal government is competent to take".

"I am not required to advice the Bengal government one way or the other", he said, when asked about the state government's decision to not oppose the bail application of women Maoists.