Hostage Drama

A bid by Maoists to gain funds and influence?

Debasis Tripathy

It is just a new episode of the old drama i.e. kidnapping and abduction staged by the red rebels, headed by their leader Sabyasachi Panda. This time two Italian tourists and one MLA of the ruling BJD have been abducted, out of them one Italian has been set free. Talks are going on between the state government and the Maoists for release of the other hostages. What is the reason? Why this drama? What the Maoists want? These are the questions, which need to be answered.

It is a matter of fact that the Maoists are now divided and their organisation is facing both internal and external problems since 2008. In 2008, the gruesome murder of Swami Laxmanananda was just like a nail on the coffins of red rebels. After that unfortunate incident, Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda made media statement and shouldered the responsibility of Swamiji’s murder.

It was just an eye wash to divert the real issue and to shield the real culprits. Whatever it may, the action of Sabyasachi Panda was put under serious objection by the Naxal organisations. Maoists could not support the incident of Swamiji’s assassination. How could they, as the saint of 90 years dedicated his life for upliftment of poor Vanvasis and commanded reverence from every quarter even from the Maoists. However the Maoists got split on the ideological point i.e. assassination of a Hindu saint and Sabyasachi owning responsibility of the same.

In fact the assassinations of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and his disciples were caused by the church-sponsored miscreants and a few of them belong to the cadre of the ruling party BJD. This  is the reason, why the probe in Swamiji’s assassination case  was ineffective and real culprits were given a safe passage which made the High Court to  interfere in the incident and directed the state government to make a fresh and fair investigation. This order of the High Court is yet to be carried out by the government. However under  the pressure of High Court, the government submitted chargesheet against Sabya-sachi Panda in the case of assassination of Swami Laxmanananda.

Though the state functionaries very well know the whereabouts of Sabyasachi Panda, still then he is not being arrested. Who knows, it may be due to his father’s close friend Pyari Mohan Mohapatra, the mentor of the BJD government. Panda’s brother is an active member of BJD and his name was proposed by Pyari Mohan Mohapatra as a candidate in last election from Nayagarh constituency, but due to protest by partymen it was foiled. It is the Naveen’s government, which indirectly protects the Maoists.

The so-called kidnapping incident is just like a drama to make an eye wash. The two Italians, Paolo Bosusco and Cladio Colangelo, are very much known to the Maoists and to the church. Paolo happens to be a Christian missionary who frequently visits the state and is  indulged  in the work of the Church and Christian NGOs. Sources say, this Paolo was staying at Baliguda and Daringbadi area of Kandhamal district in 2008 and he was distributing money, literature among the natives to get them baptised. He is the monger of procelytisation having direct link with the local church and international funding agencies. During the time of Swamiji’s assassination, Paolo was in Kandhamal, whose safe passage was ensured by the  state government under supervision of one senior IAS officer. Since then, Paolo was continuing in his church-assigned work of conversion in Kandhamal, Boudh, Koraput and some parts of Nayagarh district, says Sri Durga Prasad Kar, state president of VHP.  Apart from this, Paolo was running his business in Puri. Then question arises that why and how Paolo’s movements in Puri and Kandhamal-Boudh were left unnoticed by the administration?

Paolo works as a funding agent of church. In the name of NGO activities, he works for conversion under the nose of the administration. Many missionary NGOs fund directly goes to Maoists for spreading terror. Organiser in its December 2, 2007 issue carried the first story on this issue that the Superintendent of Police of Malkanagiri district wrote to the state Home department to cancel the registrations of such NGOs who supply funds to the Maoists. Government took no step in that regard.  After Swami Laxmanananda’s assassination, the people came to know the link of church and Maoists for which church became  snubbed  in public having hand in glove with communist terrorists. Afterwards, as a  self-cleansing measure, church started remaining aloof from Maoists. Some of the church’s money to Maoists became restricted. “In order to put the church under pressure, missionary Paolo has been abducted with his Italian friend by the Maoists,” says Dr Laxmikanta Dash, the convenor of Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram.

It is a fact that Sabyasachi Panda is losing faith of his own men. His organisation is becoming weak day-by-day. Within last few months, hardcore Maoists like Duna Keshav Rao alias Azad, Prakash Behera and his wife Sabitra Biswal, Toofan Sahu, Reeta and Sangeet Pradhan surrendered before police. Others such as Girish Mahato, Cheda Bhusanam alias Ghasi, Mili Panda (wife of Sabyasachi Panda) and Satrughna Biswal alias Mangu were arrested.

Moreover few weeks before, Sabyasachi Panda supported Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s stand on NCTC. In his latest media statement, Panda has not whispered a single word against Naveen Patnaik nor against his party. In March 13th Election, Maoist front organisation “Chasi Mulia Sangha” voted for BJD candidate in Koraput Zilla Parishad elections. All these, some feel, could be aimed at Sabyasachi Panda cosying up to the ruling BJD.  BJD MLA from Laxmipur assembly constituency Sri Jhina Hikaka has been abducted by the Maoists. Sabyasachi Panda in his media statement has stated that his unit (Maoist) has not done this abduction rather the Maoists of Andhra Pradesh cadre might have done the same. It shows a clear conflict between the  Maoist   caders, may be on ideological grounds for which Panda group has become minority.?