Bhubaneswar: Notwithstanding Chief Minister
Naveen Patnaik's refusal to hold talks with the Maoists if
they do not abjure violence, Orissa's political circle on Sunday
strongly reacted to rebel leader Kishenji's latest threat,
circulated by some local TV channels, to target Kolkata and
Bhubaneswar, if no dialogue is held immediately.
Kishenji's threat figured at the Congress Legislature
Party (CLP) meeting on the eve of assembly session where
members expressed concern over the matter after several Oriya
news channels circulated the Maoist leader's warning since
this morning.
"We will raise the issue in the assembly relating to the
threat given by the Maoist leader," Leader of Opposition,
Bhupinder Singh told reporters while criticising the state
government's handling of the Maoists.
The legislature party of BJP, NCP and other parties also
held discussion on the Kishenji's threat, sources in the
parties said.
However, Parliamentary Affairs Minister in the state
Raghunath Mohanty said, "None of our MLAs have raised the
issue in the BJD legislature party meeting."
Earlier, Patnaik told reporters, "I have repeatedly said
that the government will not go for any kind of talks with the
Maoists until they give up arms."
Bhupinder Singh said while only three districts were
affected by Maoists, in 2000 when Patnaik assumed office of
the Chief Minister, the rebels had taken 20 districts into
its fold.
Police, however, had arrested some prominent Maoist
leaders from Bhubaneswar, the latest being Subhashree Das
alias Mili Panda, wife of the most wanted Sabyasachi Panda.
Police said they were vigilant on the Chandaka forest
which is close to the state capital.
Thirty-seven persons, most of them stated to be members
of the People's Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCPA),
were detained following the encounter at Bhalukbasa jungle,
police said.
Local women demonstrated before Goaltore police station
for some time claiming the arrested villagers were innocent
and demanded that they be released immediately.
Police detained the villagers on charge of aiding the
Maoists who were believed to have gone deep inside the forest
after the gunfight.
PTI
First Published: Sunday, March 07, 2010, 23:56