Don’t harm abducted Collector: Agnivesh to Maoists

Orissa’s Malkangiri district borders with Sukma region of Dantewada district,considered as one of the Moist hot spot in the country. ” We don’t see the possibility of Naxalites bringing the abducted person to Chhattisgarh side as the incident took place on the Andhra Orissa Border (AOB) which itself is a dense forested area”,S R P Kalluri ,Senior Superintendent of Police of Dantewada said. 

Swami Agnivesh,a 71 year old social reformer who had successfully negotiated with the Maoists for the release of five abducted policemen on February 11 in tribal Bastar region,said “ I can’t say now about my role in securing the release of district collector. As of now,I am appealing to the Maoists to keep their 48 hour deadline flexible”.

“After the Maoists released five policemen abducted from Bastar,there was an atmosphere of trust that is conducive to initiate peace talks between the Maoists and the governments in the states and the centre. All parties in the conflict should utilize the opportunity for initiating peace talks”,he said.

Pointing out safe release of five policemen from Maoist captivity was a positive indication from the rebel side that they could come to the negotiating table,he said “when I say that time was suitable for talks,I also mean that there is an attitudinal change in the government approach towards the problem”.

 “Take the case of Chhattisgarh. Among the Chief Ministers of all problem facing states,Dr Raman Singh was the “most hawkish” on Naxalite issues.  Initially,he was adamant on Bastar’s controversial anti-Naxalite movement “Salwa Judum”. Now,he thinks that ‘Salwa Judum’ is over and some of the state’s steps have proved counter-productive”,the Swami said adding that Singh has now made it clear that his government would welcome any initiative towards peace and it would seriously consider once it receive the proposal for any such talks.

He expressed hope that the Maoists in all states would take this attitudinal change into consideration and come forward for a negotiated settlement while the government should also initiate certain confidence building measures to smooth the progress of bringing Naxalites to the negotiating table.