Kathmandu, October 13:

The government has sent an official letter to Janatantrik Tarai Mukti Morcha (JTMM) factions led by Jwala Singh and Ranvir Singh, respectively, inviting them to come for a dialogue, according to Minister for Peace and Reconstruction Janardan Sharma ‘Prabhakar.’

The government has recently formed a three-member negotiation committee to find a negotiated settlement with the armed groups operating in the Tarai. Sharma heads the committee.

Local Development Minister Ram Chandra Jha and Education Minister Renu Yadav are the other members of the committee. Minister Sharma said the government emissaries were trying to establish contacts with all armed groups in the Tarai and also holding indirect talks with some of the armed groups.

He said the committee’s efforts would be to build conducive environment first and then hold the dialogue with the armed groups. “Therefore I can not tell you when exactly we will be able to hold dialogue with them,” Sharma said. The committee expects all the major armed outfits except one group to come for a dialogue.

Former Minister for Peace and Reconstruction Ram Chandra Poudel’s effort to hold dialogue with these armed outfits on the eve of the constituent assembly election had failed after the groups began to put pre-conditions for talks.

Minister Jha yesterday said neither the government nor the armed outfits had put any pre-condition for the dialogue.

According to sources, Jay Krishna Goit led JTMM has refused the offer of dialogue, saying that the talks were of no use while Rajan Mukti-led JTMM has demanded to dissolve the government negotiation committee. Rajan Mukti group has objected to the composition of the committee and said that the members of the committee were anti-Madhes, a source said.

Deputy Prime Minster and Home Minister recently warned that the government would treat all those groups that do not come for dialogue as criminals.