Maoists call bandh in 8 states

Maoists on Friday called a 72-hour bandh in five states and a partial bandh in three states to protest against talks, scheduled to be held in Kolkata, between the state governments and the Centre on issues of price rise and internal security.

"We call for a 72-hour bandh on February 7, 8 and 9 fully in five states and partially in three states," said Maoist leader Kishenji over the phone from an undisclosed location. "The states where the bandh will be imposed fully are Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, West Bengal and Chhattisgarh," he said.

 The Maoist leader said partial bandh would be enforced in Maharashtra's three districts -- Bhandara, Godchiroli and Chadrapura, Madhya Pradesh's Balaghat district and north and south Telangana region in Andhra Pradesh. The chief ministers of the above states will meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on February 6 and 7 to discuss the issue of prise rise.

It would be followed by a meeting on internal security between Home Minister P Chidambaram and chief ministers of West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and Orissa on February 9.

Kishenji demanded that the government reduce the price of cement and iron by 60 per cent and increase the price of vegetables and agricultural products by at least 70 per cent if they have the goodwill to do something for farmers.