demands made by abductors of ruling BJD MLA Jhina Hikakaka, which
includes release of jailed ultras, amid indication that talks with
Maoist mediators for release of the second Italian will soon yield
positive results.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday held
an emergency meeting with top officials to review the two cases of
abduction, particularly that of Laxmipur MLA Jhina Hikaka in Koraput
district on March 24 by the Maoists.
The meeting was held after
37-year-old Hikaka's kidnappers placed demands through a statement from
the Koraput-Srikakulum division of the CPI (Maoist) and a letter
addressed to Patnaik, a senior official said.
"The matter is
being examined. A careful approach has to be adopted as the rebels have
refused to name mediators to hold talks with the government to resolve
the issue," he said.
"Talks for the release of the second Italian
in Maoist captivity 54-year-old Puri-based tour operator Paulo Bosusco
are likely to bear fruit soon," he said.
The two Maoist-chosen
negotiators - B D Sharma and Dandapani Mohanty - also expected the talks
to conclude soon. "We hope for some positive outcome very soon," they
said, adding the second Italian hostage was in good health.
While
the extremists freed Italian tourist Claudio Colangelo as a "goodwill
gesture" on Sunday, his compatriot Bosusco is still in their captivity.
The two were abducted in Kandhamal district on March 14.
The
kidnappers of Hikaka in their statement on Monday warned that the life
of the tribal MLA would be in danger if then government attempts to
search or secure his release through any operation by security forces.
The
statement couched in Telugu listed demands including halt to combing
operation and release of several rebels and tribals lodged in jails in
Koraput, Malkangiri and Berhampur.
Refusing to hold talks through
mediators on their demands for release of Hikaka, it asked the Odisha
government to make known its stand through media.
The communication bearing the name of the abducted legislator and demands of the ultras had been received late last evening.
While
the state government is yet to respond to the demands of the Maoist
group which has abducted the MLA, talks were held with mediators engaged
by another rebel group holding Bosusco captive.
Normalcy
returned to the state Assembly today with the Speaker admitting an
adjournment notice by opposition Congress on the issue of the MLA's
abduction.
As the notice for adjournment motion on "MLA abducted,
does government exist?" had not been entertained earlier, the House was
paralysed on Saturday and on Monday and witnessed uproar with Congress
members storming the well shouting slogans against the BJD government.
The
Congress leaders alleged that the ruling BJD had entered into a "secret
agreement" with Maoist-backed outfit, Chasi Mulia Adivasi Sangha for
the zilla parishad chairman's election in Koraput.
They further
alleged that the MLA was abducted as demands of the rebel-backed outfit,
contained in the agreement, were not fulfilled.
Meanwhile, after
being released by the Maoists, Claudio Colangelo left on Monday for
Delhi along with Italian Consul General Joel Melchiori on way to his
country, sources said.
Sharma said talks for 54-year-old
Bosusco's release were held in a cordial atmosphere and "there are
certain issues which need to be finalised".
Talks for ending the
Italian hostage crisis had been suspended after the abduction of the BJD
MLA in Koraput on March 24 and the process was resumed on Monday.
Besides
U N Behera, Odisha government was represented by Panchayati Raj
secretary P K Jena and ST & SC Secretary S K Sarangi at the
negotiation with rebel mediators.
As MLA Hikaka was abducted by a
separate rebel outfit in Koraput district, the matter relating to his
release was not discussed with mediators Sharma and Mohanty.
Moreover,
the abductors of Hikaka while refusing to hold any talks through
negotiators want the state government to implement their demands.
-JAGRAN
However, Mohanty said there was information that the abducted legislator was "safe and secure".
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