Sabyasachi Panda, Orissa’s top Maoist leader who engineered the abduction of the two Italian nationals — Basusco Paolo and Claudio Colangelo — refuses to have committed any mistake.
“We have not committed any mistake by kidnapping the tourists. Tribals have lost their socio-economic life because of years of misrule by successive governments. Whatever cultural values they are having is in danger now as some people treat them as apes and chimpanzees, allow foreigners to take their photographs,” he told a group of television journalists who he invited to his camp in the forests of Kandhmal for an interview.
He added that they would release Bosusco Paolo, the other Italian national still held captive by them, only after they feel that the Orissa government was serious about their demands. He also asked mediators to continue negotiation with the state government to resolve the hostage crisis.
“We have released one of the two Italians on humanitarian ground. However, we cannot release the other unless we feel the state government is taking our demands seriously,” Sabyasachi Panda told a private TV channel.
The Maoist leader also said they would not take up arms or indulge in any kind of violence till the negotiations were over. However, he could not give a guarantee about the activities of other groups operating in the state.
Panda said, “We are forced to take up arms for our own defence. We cannot keep mum when they kill the innocent people in the name of anti-Maoist operation.”
Meanwhile, Orissa chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday appeared partially relieved following the release of Claudio Colangelo and appealed to the rebels to release the two other hostages immediately on humanitarian ground.