MHA fax flooded,Naxal phone busy

On Tuesday,reacting to the offer of truce and talks by Naxals,Union Home Minister P Chidambaram gave out his office fax number 011-23093155 and asked the Maoists to send their offer in writing. To this,Naxal ideologue Kishenji gave his mobile phone number 9734695789 and asked Chidambaram to give him a call at 5 pm on February 25.

While the Home Ministry officials were still waiting the elusive fax from the Naxals,the phone number given out by Naxal leadership was either not reachable or nobody was answering it.

Journalists and curious individuals tried throughout the day to talk to Naxal leader. In the evening,the phone was switched off.

On the other hand,the MHA fax received unusually large number of faxes,ranging from complaints of corruption and partisan behaviour by police to fight with neighbours. Incidentally,MHA officials said some people even faxed their suggestions on how the Centre should deal with the Naxal problem.