Odishatv Bureau
New Delhi: Senior BJP leaders on Thursday met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Speaker Meira Kumar taking up the issue of Indian sailors held abducted by Somali pirates and sought the government`s immediate steps to secure the early release of the hostages.

Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, her counterpart in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley and Deputy Leader of the BJP in the Upper House S S Ahluwalia met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today evening along with the family members of the captive Indian sailors.

They demanded that the government take immediate steps for the early release of the abducted sailors.

Sharing their anguish, the Prime Minister assured them that the government would do whatever is feasible for the safe return of the sailors, sources said.

The Prime Minister told the members that the Indian government was working with various other governments for the purpose, they said.

Earlier, Swaraj, who had sought the appointments with the Prime Minister and the Speaker, led the family members for a meeting with Meira Kumar in the Parliament House complex.

After the meeting, Swaraj told reporters that the Speaker had given them a patient hearing and the meeting was positive.

She had pleaded the case of these family members with the Speaker.

Sources said when the ladies narrated their vows, some of those present broke down.

External Affairs Minister S M Krishna told Parliament earlier in the day that the government would everything possible to get the sailors released but cautioned against emotive response as it could danger their lives.

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