Chhatradhar Mahato, convenor of the People's Committee Against Police Atrocities, told rediff.com on Friday that PCAPA was ready for talks with the state government. "However, if the government resorts to violence, we will put up an equal if not a stronger opposition."

In an interview to rediff.com on Thursday, Gour Chakraborty, the CPI-Maoist's spokesman put forth the Maoists' demand for Lalgarh.

"We want the entire Lalgarh to be a liberated zone for the tribals. We want them to have a democracy of their own, a democracy that will be guided by a new and free economy," Chakraborty said.