New Delhi/Aligarh, May 20 (PTI) Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today said the tendency to destroy the society with arms cannot be accepted and that the government should take strong action against Naxals, hours after he appeared to have favoured talks with them.

"I want to say that government should take strong action against Naxals and killing of innocent people cannot be allowed," he told reporters in New Delhi after meeting Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia.

"Any tendency to destroy the society with arms cannot be accepted. Whether it is the Centre or the states, such things should be eliminated completely," he said.

His comments came just hours after he said at an interaction with students at Mangalayatan University in Aligarh that Naxalite youths "are our own" and that "we have to make them understand that talks are the only way and killing people is not going to solve any problem."

Clarifying the remarks made in Aligarh, Modi said, "The question asked to me was in the context of those youth (who have taken to arms) and this was my advise to the youth.

"I was neither asked what the government should do nor did I reply on the issue," the Gujarat Chief Minister said.

Modi said he was asked what was his message to the youth who had taken to the path of violence.

"My answer was that I will request the youth that violence will never change the situation. They should leave arms and within the constitutional framework, they should raise their voice in the right forums to solve their problems," he said.

Modi had said, "These youths are our own. We should make them understand that violence is not a solution to any problem."

The remarks made in Aligarh came as a surprise to many as BJP has been advocating strong action against the Naxals.

After the Naxals blew up a passenger bus in Dantewada last week, the BJP made a strong pitch for firm action against them. Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley had said a "half battle against Maoists can never succeed" and rubbished arguments that lack of development was the prime cause of Naxalism.

Previous report:

Modi favours talks with Naxals

Aligarh (UP), May 20 (PTI) Favouring talks with Naxals, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today said efforts should be made to make them understand that dialogue was the only way out.

"The fact is that Naxals are our own people. We have to make them understand that talks are the only way and that killing people is not going to solve any problem," Modi said at a function at Mangalayatan University here.