House appeals for MLAs release

BHUBANESWAR: With no signs of a breakthrough in the MLA hostage crisis, the State Assembly on Wednesday adopted a unanimous resolution appealing to the Maoists to release the abducted legislator Jhina Hikaka.The resolution moved by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressed deep concern over the abduction of the MLA. “This House unanimously appeals to the Maoists for the safe release of Laxmipur MLA Jhina Hikaka immediately and unhurt,” it said.The resolution said, “This House shares and sympathises with the agony and anxiety of the family members of Hikaka.” Earlier, describing the abduction of the young MLA as a “sad” incident, Dambarudhar Ulaka (Cong) referred to the audio tape released by the Andhra Odisha Border Zonal Committee (AOBZC) setting April 5 deadline and letter written to the Chief Minister by the abducted MLA. He said the Chief Minister had appealed to the Maoists to extend the deadline, but it is doubtful whether the ultras will respond to it. He had said a unanimous resolution should be brought in the House requesting the Maoists to set free the MLA.Amar Prasad Satpathy (NCP) observed that such a resolution should have been brought in the House much earlier. Expressing his concern over the delay in starting the process for the release of the MLA, Satpathy said  his wife, Kaushalya has decided to sit on a dharna in front of the collectorate while the villagers have threatened an agitation against Government’s inaction.Criticising the Government for its lackadaisical attitude, Jayanarayan Mishra (BJP) said the hostage crisis needs a political solution. He said the Government should immediately open channels of discussion with local tribal leaders.Meanwhile, there has been no response from the Chasi Mulia Adivasi Sangha (CMAS) to the offer of talks by the Chief Minister. Naveen had on Tuesday invited CMAS president Nachika Linga for talks for the release of Hikaka and had said that the Government is willing to negotiate the release of some CMAS leaders.