Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said his government will facilitate the release of 27 persons to secure the release of the abducted Laxmipur MLA Jhina Hikaka and Italian national Paolo Bosusco, bowing to the demands of the Naxals who had taken the two hostages.
The state government has finally agreed to facilitate release of eight members of the CPI (Maoists) and 15 members of the banned Chasi Mulia Adivasi Sangh (CMAS) to secure freedom of the abducted MLA even as the outlawed ultras extended the deadline for release of the two hostages to April 7.
The eight members of CPI (Maoists) include Narsi Kendruka, Joruka Kendruka, Deba Majhi, Ganga Sodi, Bhima adiami, Mangaraj Darua, Murla Neelam Reddy and Setu Pangi.
Among the 15 members of CMAS whose release will be facilitated by the state government include Rupuni Sirika, Miniaka sandal, Miniaka Jama, Saura Karasiya, Nachika Suba, Wadeka Diba, Rabi Tadingi, Dhana Hantal, Dora Hantal, Ramesh Nachika, Huluku Kesaba, Ina Tadingi, Rupana Huluka, Argu Sirika and Bijay Tadingi.
On the other hand, the government has also agreed to facilitate release of four persons- Arati Majhi, Suka Nachika, Chakra Tadingi and Subhashree Das, alias Mili Panda, the wife of Sabyasachi Panda, secretary of the Orissa state organizing committee of the CPI (Maoists) to facilitate release of the Italian national.
“The Orissa government will take the necessary legal steps for the release of these 27 persons. The government has made this gesture on humane grounds. I do hope that the Naxals will reciprocate in a similar spirit and release the MLA and also the Italian national immediately,” Patnaik said in the assembly.
It may be noted that Bosusco was kidnapped by the Naxals from Daringibadi on March 14 along with his compatriot Claudio Colangelo, whereas the ruling party MLA was abducted in the wee hours of March 24 from Laxmipur in Koraput district.
While the abductors of Italians had chosen two interlocutors - Dandapani Mohanty and B D Sharma for talks with state officials on the release of the foreigners, the abductors of the MLA, a separate rebel group, had ruled out talks with government and put forth their demands through a letter to the chief minister.
The Andhra-Orissa Border Zonal Committee of the banned CPI (Maoists) group had claimed responsibility for the kidnapping of the legislator.
The demands include stopping of Operation Green Hunt as well as release of all arrested political prisoners and leaders of Chasi Mulia Adivasi Sangh.
The ultras had also urged Patnaik to meet all the demands promised at the time of release of former Malkangiri collector R Vineel Krishna last year.
