Bhubaneshwar:
With the Maoists' 96-hour deadline drawing to a close, the Odisha government has finally given to the ultras' demand for the release of the abducted Italian national, Paolo Bosusco. With this, Mr Bosusco is expected to walk free soon after spending over three weeks in captivity.
The state government, alongwith the Maoists, released a joint statement on Saturday night that broadly outlined the conditions that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had agreed to meet. "We have reached an agreement and concluded the fortnight-long negotiations with mediators nominated by CPI (Maoist) for the release of Italian Paolo Bosusco," Home Secretary U N Behera told reporters after the talks.
Mr Behera led the three-member group representing the government that negotiated with the Maoists for freeing Mr Bosusco. The 51-year-old tour operator was taken hostage by the Maoists on March 14 alongwith compatriot Claudio Colangelo, a tourist. Even as Mr Colangelo was allowed to go, Mr Bosusco continued to be held captive with the Maoists remaining firm on the charter of demands.
The joint statement said that after several rounds of discussion, the mediators had forwarded six names - Arati Majhi, Manmohan Pradhan, Suka Nachika, Chakra Tadingi, Bijay Tadingi and Subhashree Das. According to the agreement arrived at by both parties, the state government would facilitate the release of five of the six persons whose release the Maoists had demanded. Earlier in the day, the Chief Minister had, in a statement in the Assembly, made it clear that the government was ready to concede to the Maoists demands.
"The demands by Sabyasachi Panda, and his group of Maoists, that is the CPI Maoists, were dealt with at length in my statement to the Odisha assembly on 4th April 2012. The commitments that have been made by the state government, that is the government of Odisha, I repeat shall be followed in letter and in spirit. This is my assurance to the Maoists," he had said.
The statement followed a stern warning from Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda on Friday when he threatened to take the "extreme step" against the Italian hostage if his demands were not met within 96 hours. The ultimatum led to the two sides holding two rounds of extensive negotiations before arriving at a mutually-agreed position. After the conclusion of the agreement, B D Sharma and Dandapani Mohanty, the mediators from the Maoists' side, appealed for Mr Bosusco's immediate release.
Meanwhile, the group holding Biju Janata Dal MLA Jina Hikaka hostage, imposed a fresh set of conditions for his release. It has sought the release of an additional five persons by April and has warned of 'dire consequences' if their demand is not met.
Speaking to NDTV over the phone, Jagabandhu, the spokesperson for the Andhra Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee (AOBSZC) said if the state government did not release the prisoners after withdrawing all charges against them by April 10, they would decide on the fate of the BJD legislator who is in their custody. Mr Jagabandhu said that the claim of the Odisha government of eight Maoists being in the list of 27 prisoners is incorrect. He claimed that , in reality, there are only two Maoists in the government's list and that, they now want the release of five regular Maoist leaders and cadres. They are Chheda Bhushanam alias Ghasi, Gananath Patra, Suna Pangi, Singa Nachika and Valsi Wadeka who are now lodged in the Koraput jail.
When told that the state government has indicated that there will be some delay in releasing the prisoners because there is a judicial process involved in the exercise, the Maoist spokesperson said they did not recognise so-called judicial processes. "The people are our judiciary", he said adding "all the prisoners named by the government should be released without any conditions and all cases against them have to be withdrawn by April 10".
The Maoist leader said that Mr Hikaka was in good health and safe but his safety couldn't be guaranteed after the deadline expired. "We will take the next step if the government does not fulfill our demands", he had warned.
Incidentally, the deadline of April 10 set by both the Maoist groups coincides with the date on which a court in Rayagada district will deliver its verdict in the case against Subhashree Panda, wife of, Sabyasachi Panda.