BJP appeals Chidambaram to apprise Parliament on Malkangiri hostage crisis
By ANIThursday, February 24, 2011
NEW DELHI - Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday said it was shocking to learn that Malkangiri District Collector R Vineel Krishna, who was abducted by the Maoists on February 16, is yet to be released, and demanded that Union Home Minister P Chidambaram apprise Parliament about the situation.
Talking to reporters here, Rajiv Pratap Rudy said: “It is shocking to learn that he has not yet been released. The Home Minister should come down and inform Parliament about the latest situation because we are all concerned about his welfare.”
Complicating the hostage crisis, Maoists on Wednesday night have put forward new conditions for the release of Krishna, who was abducted by the Maoists on February 16.
After extensive negotiations between the government and the captors, Krishna was meant to be released on Tuesday night along with junior engineer, Pabitra Majhi, who too had been kidnapped from Malkangiri on February 16.
However, the Maoists now say they will hold on to Krishna till they get custody of five of their leaders who are currently in jail.
The new demands were conveyed in a letter sent through Pabitra Majhi, who returned home on Wednesday evening after being released by the Maoists near the Ambadoli village of Chitrakonda District.
Three mediators appointed to interface with the Maoists had earlier been told that Krishna would also be released on Wednesday. But in the letter, the Maoists said they wanted their leaders to be handed over to them in Malkangiri.
Among those leaders is Ganti Prasad, who was arrested in November and charged with sedition. Prasad’s release was at the top of the Maoists’ agenda. he Maoists also want Padma, wife of a top rebel leader, to be released. These demands come in addition to other demands that had earlier been put before the Orissa government. (ANI)
