Sabyasachi warns Government

BHUBANESWAR: Accusing the State Government of not keeping its promises made to secure the release of the two abducted Italian nationals, Maoist leader and secretary of the Odisha State Organising Committee of the CPI(Maoist) Sabyasachi Panda on Sunday warned that the Maoists will resort to retaliatory violence if operations against them continued.Sabyasachi’s audio has come at a time when the security agencies have intensified combing operations in the Maoist-affected areas and raided the camps of the Maoist leader twice during the last one month.Criticising the State Government for doublespeak, Sabyasachi has alleged in the tape that anti-Maoist campaign in areas  under the control of the Odishacommittee  have been intensified after the release of the Italian nationals. There has been a series of attacks on Maoist camps during recent times even though the Odisha committee has stayed away from violence ever since a ceasefire was announced following the abduction of the Italians, he said.The Maoist leader has threatened to resort to “revolutionary violence” if the State Government continued to attack them. Instead of abiding by the ceasefire agreement, the police launched ‘Operation Sabyasachi’ soon after the Italians were released, he said.The Maoists had abducted the two Italians, Paulo Bosusco and Claudio Colangelo, on March 14 in Kandhamal district. While Colangelo was released after nine days, Bosusco had to remain in Maoist captivity for 29 days.The Government has forgotten to implement the promises made to secure the release of the Italians, Sabyasachi said, adding that  it has been spreading lies.Referring to the Government’s stand that it is following the agreement reached with the Maoists for the release of the hostages, the Maoist leader alleged no prisoner has so far been released.His wife Subhashree Panda was released on the basis of a court verdict while Arati Majhi is yet to be released.He also refuted the State Government’s statement that Maoists have resorted to violence and disruptive activities flouting the agreement. The Odisha State Organising Committee of the CPI(Maoist), with which the Government held talks for the release of Italians, has not resorted to any violence, he said.