Nitish struggling to solve the hostage crisis
Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is faced with a tough question: does he give in to Maoistthreats and release their eight comrades or does he stand firm and risk the lives of the three policemen.
The Bihar hostage crisis has meant that Nitish is facing the toughest test of his political career and that too on the eve of Assembly elections in the state.
The man who has been hailing himself as the saviour of Bihar is now struggling to resolve the latest Maoist crisis. On the one hand he doesn't want to be seen to be giving in to Maoists' demands, but on the other he also does not want to project himself as being totally helpless.He has already said that he is ready to talk with the Maoists but there is also the talk of launching an all-out offensive against the rebels. "We will go all out to rescue our colleagues," Bihar ADGP PK Thakur.
With one kidnapped policeman Abhay Prasad Yadav already killed and scenes of his grieving family only adding up pressure on him, Nitish needs to do some quick thinking. Many are raising the question if the state administration underestimated the gravity of the situation.
Maoist sympathisers blame Nitish for not having opened a direct negotiation channel in last three days, causing loss of a human life. The government has been denying any effort been made by naxals for any such negotiation.
Maoist sympathisers blame Nitish for not having opened a direct negotiation channel in last three days, causing loss of a human life. The government has been denying any effort been made by Maoists for any such negotiation.
"No one ever contacted Nitish Kumar. Only once did a man named Vinesh call up the Chief Minister's office. He demanded that eight Maoists be released or the policemen will be murdered. But he disconnected and did not speak to the Chief Minister," said JD(U) leader SOT Shivanand Tiwary.
"I am appealing to Maoists through you, give up violence, don't kill these policemen, extend deadline. I am willing to talk," he said.
Now the latest deadline of 10 am Friday set by the Maoists for the state to meet their demand is already over. They still have three more policemen with them.
Watching all the action from the sidelines is the Union Home Ministry. Unlike Chhattisgarh where everyMaoist strike has led to quick reactions from the Centre, Bihar Chief Minister's public disagreement with Union Home Minister P Chidambaram's anti-Maoist approach has created a silence this time.
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