Lahan, October 26:

Minister of State for General Administration and member of the Government Talks Team, Ram Chandra Yadav, today called on the armed groups in Tarai to sit for talks, shunning the politics of guns and gunpowder.

Speaking at a press meet organised in Lahan by the Siraha chapter of Press Chautari, Yadav said the government was serious over the negligence shown by armed groups in the Tarai even after the government frequently invited them for talks. Saying that the government

had sent a letter for talks to the Janatantrik Tarai Mukti Morcha-Jwala two months ago, he said that the group should stop violence before talks.

Yadav also condemned the report of burning of the national flag a few days back in Tarai

and said the government will not compromise with anyone on the issue of nationalism.

He urged agitating groups in the Tarai to have a sense of nationalism, and added that the government was ready to punish criminals as the gang abducting the Bara-based journalist, Birendra Kumar Saha, was identified.

He said a secretary level meeting was organised in New Delhi to develop the Lahan-Dhadi border entry point, and that India was positive on it.