Talks on,Maoists send demands

In the Assembly,the CM appealed to the Maoists to release Hikaka unharmed

Two days after Laxmipur MLA Jhina Hikaka was abducted,Maoists of Koraput on Monday sent a wish-list that included immediate halting of combing operations and release of Chasi Mulia Adivasi Sangh CMAS activists lodged in jails.

The letter on the CPIMaoist letterhead,signed by secretary of Koraput-Srikakulam divisional committee Daya alias Chemmala Krishnamurthi and one Jagabandhu,a representative of Andhra Orissa Border Special Zonal Committee,demanded that the government stop Operation Greenhunt immediately. The letter in Telugu demanded that political prisoners lodged in Koraput and Malkangiri jails be released and the government should announce the dates when they are going to be released. It demanded that activists of CMAS lodged in jails over false charges be released and warned that the government would be responsible if it did any combing operation to rescue Hikaka.

The Maoists sent another letter written by the MLA and addressed to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik imploring him to order immediate halt to combing operation,release of ultras and CMAS activists.

Claiming that he was safe,the letter demanded the government fulfil all conditions conceded by it during negotiations to release abducted Malkangiri district collector R Vineel Krishna last year. In that letter Hikaka sought a halt to holding rallies and processions for his release.

In the Assembly,the CM appealed to the Maoists to release Hikaka unharmed.

On March 23,Hikaka and three other MLAs in a letter to the CM had demanded that CMAS activists be released. The letter was believed to be a quid pro quo for the support they got from the CMAS-backed Zilla Parishad member from Narayanpatna block for the ZP chairman post in Koraput.

The issue of Hikakas abduction rocked the Assembly with slogan-shouting Congress MLAs alleging that the MLA was abducted because of an agreement between the BJD and CMAS for Zilla Parishad elections in Koraput.

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Meanwhile,talks for safe release of Paulo Bosusco resumed on Monday between the Orissa government and two Maoist interlocutors B D Sharma and Dandapani Mohanty.

Fresh talks for the safe release of Bosusco progressed in a cordial atmosphere. We hope to conclude negotiations soon, Home Secretary U N Behera said. The talks were suspended on March 24 when Hikaka was abducted. We have reached a decisive stage, Mohanty said.