The families of the three Telugu Desam Party men who were kidnapped by the Maoists on Monday evening with a demand to the government that it should declare that bauxite mining in the Agency area would not be taken up, continue to be in a state of anxiety as the efforts to trace the victims or get a channel to communicate with the Maoists were not successful even on Friday evening.
They are also anxiously waiting for Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to make a statement that would pave the way for the release of TDP mandal unit president Mamidi Balayya Padal, senior leader Vandalam Balayya and district committee member Mukkala Mahesh. Mr. Naidu is in the city for a day-long programme.
The three have been reportedly shifted across the border to Odisha and Girijan employees association leaders P. Balayya, Murla Venkata Ramana and Seva Raja Rao who have gone up to the border but could not contact the Maoists or send them a message, are staying at G.K. Veedhi expecting the Maoists to respond.
Meanwhile, family members of the three kidnapped persons, along with Telugu Desam and YSR Congress workers held a demonstration at Pedavalasa urging the Maoists to release the three.
The Maoists have given time up to October 13 for the government to come out with its statement on bauxite mining.
‘Onus on Naidu’Former Minister P. Balaraju asked the government to come out with a statement and get the three Girijans released.
“Mr. Naidu could come out with the statement since he had declared in the past that the TDP would not allow bauxite mining, on the floor of Assembly, in his letters to the Centre and also in the manifesto when he was Leader of the Opposition,” Mr. Balaraju told The Hindu .
Kidnapping is a delicate matter and the government should deal it properly and must feel the responsibility to get the kidnapped persons released, Mr. Balaraju said.
