Bhubaneswar:
In what is being seen as a softening of its earlier stand, the Odisha government has said it will seriously consider withdrawal of charges against some of the 25 prisoners if the Maoists release the abducted MLA Jhina Hikaka by 5 pm on April 18. The state Panchayati Raj Secretary PK Jena who was one of the three negotiators on behalf of the state government in the Italian hostage issue made this statement during an official media briefing this evening in Bhubaneswar.
"If release of the tribal MLA takes place by 5 pm tomorrow, the government will seriously consider withdrawal of prosecution in suitable cases," Panchayatiraj Secretary P K Jena told reporters.
This came in response to an audio message issued by the Maoists abductors earlier in the day in which the Andhra Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee (AOBSZC) had demanded the withdrawal of all charges against all 29 prisoners named by them and threatened to take drastic action if the state government failed to make its stand on their demands by Tuesday evening.
The state government in the press note has said that already two of the 25 prisoners have got bail from courts in earlier cases and appealed to Maoists to take steps to move the bail petitions of the rest as soon as possible.
Today the abducted MLA Hikaka spoke with the state Chief Secretary BK Patnaik and the BJD MP from Koraput, Jayaram Pangi over phone from the Maoist camp and requested them to take the Maoist demands seriously and thereby help ensure his safe release. He is believed to have said he is safe and in good health but worried over the delay in resolving the matter.
However, sources close to the Maoists have told NDTV that the so-called softening of stand by the state government will not help resolve the matter. "The Maoists will not release the MLA until and unless the state government releases all 29 prisoners and agrees to withdraw all charges against them"- the source said adding they are angry over the state government's obstinate stand in regard to the release of Gananath Patra, the 70-year old ailing adviser of the Maoist-backed 'Chasi Mulia Adivasi Sangh' (CMAS). Patra's name figures in the list of 4 additional Maoist prisoners they want released. "It is not going to be as easy as it was in the case of the two Italians" abducted by the Odisha Maoists, the source warned.
Meanwhile dreaded Maoist leader Chhedda Bhushanam alias Ghasi whose name was dropped by Maoists from the list of 30 prisoners they want freed has appealed to the state government to take quick decisions on the Maoist demands and resolve the MLA hostage crisis as soon as possible.
"Now that my name has been removed from the list and there are only 29 prisoners to be released, I think this is the right time for the state government to act prudently and take quick decisions. This is my appeal to the government, not my demand," Ghasi said while he was brought to the Koraput ADJ court for the hearing in the Semiliguda police station attack case in which he is a prime accused.
The deadline set by the Maoists for the release of 29 prisoners and the MLA held hostage by them ends at 5 pm on Wednesday. While some believe that the Maoists will free Hikaka by the 18th evening, there are apprehensions that the logjam will continue till the Maoists clinch the bargain in their favour.