Prashant Bhushan refuses to mediate in Sukma collector abduction

Noida, April 24- Team Anna member and Supreme Court lawyer Prashant Bhushan has refused
to mediate on behalf of the Maoists but appealed to them to
unconditionally release Sukma District Collector Alex Paul Menon.
He said that the demands of the Maoists were 'justified' and
government should address the issues facing them. Hours after the
Maoists named him as one of three mediators for negotiations with the
government, Bhushan said that he would not mediate on the issue. 'No,
I am appealing to the Maoists to unconditionally release the
collector. I agree to most of their demands which are justifiable but
the collector should not be used as a bargaining chip,' he told when
asked if he would act as a mediator. 'Menon is an innocent officer. If
the government is serious about addressing the root causes of Naxals,
I am quite happy to be part of any negotiations then,' he said. The
lawyer said the demands for ending operation \'green hunt\' and release
of innocent tribals are 'justified'. Government should also address
issues facing them like handing over large tracts of land to big
corporations, he said. After the Chhattisgarh government offered to
hold talks to secure the release of the Sukma district collector,
Maoists last ni.