Under pressure from Maoists who kidnapped four policemen from Lakhisarai district, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said his government was ready for talks with the ultras and assured them safe passage for the negotiations.

“Who says that we are not ready for talks? We are ready for talks for securing the release of the policemen beind held hostages by the Maoists,” Kumar said on the sidelines of a function in Patna.

“We are ready to give full protection to anyone from their side (Maoists) coming for talks … we will bear the expenses that they incur to and from here,” he said while stating that it should be kept in minds that talks could be held on the subject which was within the domain of the state.

Director General of Bihar Police Neelmani, however, said there was no evidence of the ultras taking the extreme step.

“Search operations have been intensified for the hostages,” he said.

In New Delhi, the Union Home Ministry said it was fully with state government in dealing with the problem and fully supported what it was doing.

The Maoists had kidnapped sub-inspectors Rupesh Kumar and Abhay Prasad Yadav, BMP havildar Ehtesham Khan and BMP ASI Lucas Tete after the encounter in Kajra police station area on Sunday, which had left eight policemen dead.

Seeking to reach out to Maoists, Kumar said Maoists in jails or apprehended during anti-Naxal operations were being looked after properly by the state government and “we expect similar treatment with the policemen.

“In a democratic set-up, we respect the human rights of any person arrested and we well take care of their health,” he said.

“The Naxalites are part of society … they should do no harm to policemen who are also part of society. They hold four policemen captive and it is their duty to protect them,” Kumar said, adding he had raised the issue of Maoists being treated properly during a recent meeting in New Delhi.

“Had they (Maoists) killed them in course of the encounter, it would have been a different matter,” he said, recalling that he had taken personal initiative for the treatment of a Maoist who was critically wounded in an encounter and sent him to New Delhi.

He said “holding hostages for the sake of bargain is highlighly objectionable in democracy … after all policemen are doing their duty.”

“As long as my government is here it will continue to pay due respect to human rights and implement the guidelines in toto … there is a system in democracy … people enjoy the right to fight elections to defeat a set up if it is inimical to them.

“Democracy mein janata ki ahmiyat hai (in a democracy, the people decide who will rule as their decision is supreme),” Kumar said.

“We are a democracy, independence and freedom is the beauty of it … democracy is governed by laws and system and we have to follow it,” he said.

Relatives of those held hostages had met him in the past couple of days, he said, “we know their trauma and we care for human rights as well.”

“Violence rasta nahin ho sakta (violence cannot be the way) … those who believe in democracy will have to come forward and sit across the table for resolution of any problem,” he said.

Asking Kumar to start talks with the Maoists, social activist Swami Agnivesh offered to facilitate the negotiations between the Maoists and the government so that the life of the policemen taken hostage could be saved.