Jhina Hikaka

Bhubaneshwar, April 25: The month-long ordeal of the abducted Biju Janata Dal MLA Jhina Hikaka is likely to come to an end tomorrow.

An audiotape released by CPI(Maoist) Orissa-Andhra Special Border Zonal Committee leader Aruna today said that a praja (people’s) court had decided that Hikaka would be handed over to his wife Kaushalya and Koraput-based lawyer Nihar Ranjan Patnaik at 10am in Balipeta near Narayanpatna tomorrow. The media would be allowed to cover the event, she said.

The people’s court was organised by the rebels at an undisclosed location in the Narayanpatna area of Koraput district yesterday. The 38-year-old MLA was taken captive by the Maoists on March 24 near Toyapet in Koraput district, around 500km from here, while returning home to Laxmipur from Semiliguda.

In her taped statement, Aruna claimed that the MLA had given a written undertaking in the praja court that he would resign from Assembly after being set free. Significantly, the Maoists have agreed to set Hikaka free even though the government is yet to meet most of their demands including the release of 29 Maoists and leaders of the rebel-supported Chasi Muliya Adivasi Sangh (CMAS) from jail. So far, only five CMAS leaders have been granted bail.

Patnaik also said that he had received a message from Aruna about the MLA’s release.

Earlier, the rebels had insisted on the release of 30 leaders, including their dreaded commander Chhenda Bhushnam alias Ghasi, who has nearly 60 cases against him in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.

However, with the state government taking a tough stand on Ghasi, they dropped his name from the list.

“The praja court that was held on the April 24 in the presence of 150 people finally decided in favour of Jhina Hikaka’s release,” Aruna said in her taped message.

She said the praja court had discussed the situation in Narayanpatna with regard to Operation Green Hunt, police excesses and atrocities against innocent people.

People who attended the court pointed out that Hikaka as the local MLA had failed to stop the government’s anti-people measures. The legislator himself admitted to his failure and helplessness in the matter.

“He also said chief minister Naveen Patnaik had not taken any active steps for his release because he was a tribal. He informed the praja court that he would resign as MLA and also snap all ties with his party, the BJD. He said he would like to live as an ordinary citizen and work for the people,” the message said, adding that Hikaka would put in his papers after his release.

In Delhi, BJD MPs, including senior Rajya Sabha member Pyari Mohan Mohapatra, staging a silent dharna on the Parliament grounds to demand Hikaka’s release.

BJD MP Bhartruhari Mahtab today raised the issue of Hikaka’s abduction in the Lok Sabha and asked for support from leaders of the House to issue an appeal to the Maoists to release him unharmed.

The issue struck a chord and soon leaders cutting across party lines, including the Trinamul Congress and the AIADMK, came out in support to appeal to the Maoists to release the MLA.

Additional reporting by JP Yadav