Ghatshila/ Kolkata:
It is a national policy not to negotiate with terrorists, but don't Naxalites terrorise millions of people? That is why a lot of people are wondering if it was right for the Jharkhand government to negotiate with Maoists for the release of a Block Development Officer (BDO) Prashant Layak.
First, Soren bowed to Naxal demands, then immediately ordered the release of two of 14 villagers, whose cases the Naxals wanted re-investigated.
"We are obeying the orders of the government and have received more instructions on this issue, our officials are looking into it," says Rezi Dung Dung, IG, Jharkhand Police.
"It is a bit awkward, but what can I say," says Layak, when asked if he is worried about the fact that Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren himself had to mediate on his behalf.
No one wants a person to be killed, but are all state governments on the same page in the war against Naxalites? That's what Home Minister P Chidambaram wants to know.
Home Ministry sources have told NDTV that there are major concerns about the way the Naxal threat is being handled in Bihar and Jharkhand.
Sources also say that state government took no action despite clear intelligence inputs about the Naxal strike in Jamui. Not only that, villagers in Jamui had asked for protection, but no action was taken. Eleven villagers were killed there.
Jharkhand is also a major worry for the Home Ministry. Add to this the neighbouring West Bengal, where Maoists killed 24 policemen last week.
The worried Home Minister has written to Chief Ministers of Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal, inviting them to meet in New Delhi. The meeting has been convened to ensure all the states are on the same page before inter-state, anti-Naxal operations.
"Centre has arrived at some conclusions, and would like the states endorse that plan. Centre wants to discuss the tentative conclusions reached on action to be taken," Chidambaram wrote in his letter.
But after the latest Naxal incident in Jharkhand, Shibu Soren and his officers are completely unwilling to go on record about this. Bihar has already said it does not completely endorse the Centre's plan. The only vague promise of support is from West Bengal.
"The initiative is still in our hands and we will take the offensive very soon," says West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya.
All of this, probably means, that Chidambaram will be spending sleepless nights over the future of Operation Green Hunt.