Arundhati Roy ready for Maoist talks role

Arundhati Roy says she is ready to be an "independent observer" if the Indian government agrees to peace talks with Maoist insurgents.

She gave her reaction following a fresh proposal for talks made by the rebels.Maoist military wing leader Koteshwar Rao - or Kishenji - called the BBC from an undisclosed location.

He said the group would stop violence if the government invited intellectuals and rights activists like Ms Roy and B D Sharma to mediate in peace talks.

Although refusing to be a mediator in any talks, Ms Roy told BBC Hindi radio that she would be happy to participate in talks as an independent observer

Full report here BBC