As the Maoists hardened their stand on the release of a BJD MLA held captive by them, the Supreme Court today agreed to hear on an urgent basis a retired army officer’s plea to stop the state from conceding to their “blackmail tactics”. The release of jailed cadres in exchange for tribal MLA Jhina Hikaka would amount to nothing short of “craven surrender”, and create a sense of insecurity among soldiers who risked their lives to put them in prison, says the PIL filed by Major General (retired) Gagandeep Bakshi.