Govt justifies policy of mediation for release of hostages

"We must take a practical view of having mediation and negotiations...Mediation is a part of every government...Even Israel does it as it released 1,000 prisoners to get one soldier," Home Minister P Chidambaram said replying to a short notice question in the Rajya Sabha.

The statement comes against the backdrop of release of abducted Sukma Collector Alex Paul Menon in Chhattisgarh and MLA Jhina Hikaka in Odisha secured from Maoists through mediation.

Referring to release of Menon, Chidambaram said Chhattisgarh government had appointed mediators and considered it practical to do so.

At the same time, he said, "One should know where and how to draw the line..."

Chidambaram said, "I have advised Home Ministry officials to have consultations with states on whether we can have a uniform hostage policy."

He, however said, "I cannot say how this hostage policy evolves....."

He said the Centre has been playing a crucial role in helping states resolve hostage crisis as it was a shared responsibility. "My view has been, my view is and my view will be that dealing with militancy, insurgency and extremism is a shared responsibility...," he said.

Prakash Javadekar (BJP) earlier said that there should be no swap deal in hostage situations and quoted Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh as saying that if he (Raman) was taken hostage, there should be no swap deal. (MORE)