17 acquitted again in Orissa…

BHUBANESWAR: A fast track court in Orissa on Saturday acquitted 17 people in a case of rioting in Kandhamal in 2008.
All the 17 were accused of torching houses in Shashipadar village Aug 26, 2008.
"All the seventeen accused have been acquitted as the charges leveled against them could not be proved for want of evidence," public prosecutor PK Patra said.
Kandhamal district, about 200 km from here, witnessed widespread violence after the murder of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and four of his aides at his ashram Aug 23, 2008.
More than 25,000 Christians were forced to flee their homes after their houses were attacked by rampaging mobs that held Christians responsible for Saraswati's killing, although the police blamed the Maoists.

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Two attacks against Christians in Central India. Bajrang Dal involved. Police also attacked.

15 April 2010

Balaghat, Madhya Pradesh: A Christian meeting was attacked by the Bajrang Dal and workers of BJP yesterday and today resulting in a tense situation in the entire area.

A 3 day gospel meeting had been organized by the Christian Churches of Balaghat and today was the last day of the meeting. Pastor Ram Babu was bringing the word of God for the past two evenings and the day time was devoted to Bible studies. The meetings were taking place in the Balaghat stadium with due permission and protection of the police and the local administration.

Today evening around 5 pm, Christians who were taking part in the meeting were beaten up during even as they were on the way to attend Bible Studies. At least three were beaten badly after being taken forcibly to the BJP office in Balaghat. Many were hurt during the stone pelting by Bajrang Dal workers.

In the evening the fundamentalists attacked the meeting in the presence of the police and were met with retaliation. However they were successful in damaging at least 4 vehicles. They also attacked the police in anger following which the police was forced to lathi charge the miscreants.

Yesterday the Bajrang Dal threw two petrol bombs at the meeting and one had exploded inside the meeting venue. No one was hurt.

Chhattisgarh

At least 40 Bajrang Dal and Dharma Sena members attacked a team of young people in Bhilai, Chhattisgarh. The youth who are part of the brethren Church were distributing tracts in Sector 2 as reported by local sources and were also joined by their pastor Shalu Ninan.

Even Pastor Ninan was beaten up badly and when they went to lodge an FIR at the police station they found that an FIR was already lodged against them and hence they were arrested on charges of forced conversions. They are still in the lock up and attempts to bail them out are on.

German team visits Kandhamal. Is Shocked..

A two-member team of the German Federal Parliament today expressed its deep concern over the condition of people hit by December 2007 and August 2008 riots in Kandhamal district.

Mr Ute Granold and Mr Pascal Kober of the Human Rights Committee of the Federal Parliament, who visited the riot-affected areas of the district from April 9 to 13, said they were shocked at the level of violence.

Even two years after the incident, many of the affected people were leading a miserable life and still do not have proper homes and livelihood opportunities. Most of them were yet to be compensated adequately, they said.

Many complaints were yet to be registered by police and only a few had been convicted, the delegation said, adding that the children were deprived of going to school.

The members of the German Federal Parliament, who also visited Gujarat, said they would follow up the developments in Germany.

They would also submit their findings to the German Federal Government and the Parliament.

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14 Pastors arrested in Karnataka – AICC Report

New Delhi, April 7, 2010

Karnataka Police arrested 14 pastors with false accusation on Monday at Viraj Pet of Coorg District. All India Christian Council extends help for their release.

According to a source reaching to All India Christian Council (aicc) says that 14 Pastors gathered for prayer meeting and fellowship in one of their house on Friday morning were arrested by police and detained until filing of this report.

Anand Kumar, Regional Secretary of aicc Karnataka Chapter reports, “A group of people allegedly belonging to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Hindutva militant group, secretly recorded the prayers in their mobile and presented to Ponan Pet police station. A police team came and arrested the pastors while they were having lunch with false allegation of involving in forceful and fraud conversion.”

Karnataka chapter of Christian Council is sending a fact finding team and looking into the possibility of early release of the pastors.

The Christian minority in the state of Karnataka have been going through very difficult time with false accusations leveled against the innocent pastors after Hindutva Government took over in early 2008. The law of the land has been misused by the Hindutva fanatics to harass Christian minorities. Gathering for prayer among the Christian communities is even accused as fraud and fraudulence conversion.

Political Parties “cold shoulder” Kandhamal riot probe

BHUBANESWAR: The 2008 communal violence in Orissa's Kandhamal district may have attracted heated debate, but the anxiety seems to have whittled away with political parties, religious groups and the media cold-shouldering the inquiry commission set up by the government.
The one-man Justice Sarat Chandra Mohapatra inquiry panel has made virtually no headway in investigating the violence that followed the murder of a Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader on Aug 23, 2008. Thirty-eight people were killed and thousands of Christians displaced from their homes, leading to widespread concern with many blaming the government and investigating agencies for not doing enough in the matter.
But the concern did not translate into responses from the stakeholders.
"I have issued letters to all major political parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Congress and the ruling Biju Janata Dal, but most of them have not filed their statements before the commission yet," Justice Mohapatra said in an interview.
"Political parties certainly have a role in the inquiry process as there was a doubt raised about the working of the government machinery. But, except for the Communist Party of India, no other political party has come forward to file their responses," he added.
There has been a tepid response from others as well. The commission issued about 60 notices, including to media organisations, political leaders, columnists and academics.
"I have issued letters to media organisations, columnists and professors who wrote articles on this issue. But two years have passed and I am still to get their submissions," he said.
These include religious organisations who often make comments on the issue, Mohapatra added.
"I have issued notices to several Christian organisations. But I did not get desirable responses."
"I have also issued notices to media organisations that reported the incident. But not a single media organisation has come forward to file its response yet," he rued.
Amongst the few who did respond were tribal group Kui Samaj, Hindu rightwing organisation Hindu Jagaran Manch and the Archbishop of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar Raphael Cheenath.
"Some BJP leaders also filed their responses in their individual capacities," he said.
The result of the tardy progress has meant that the commission, which was initially given six months and has already got three extensions, is still not ready with its report. The tenure of the Mohapatra investigation ends September 17, 2010, and another extension is inevitable.
"I am not at all happy with the pace of the probe. I need to find out the root of the matter. I need at least two more years to complete the probe," Mohapatra said.
Kandhamal district, about 200 km from here, witnessed widespread violence after the murder of VHP leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and four of his aides at his ashram on August 23, 2008.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh described the violence as a national shame as more than 25,000 Christians were displaced after their houses were attacked by rampaging mobs that held them responsible for Saraswati's killing, although police blamed Maoist guerrillas.
Mohapatra, a former Orissa high court judge, was appointed in October the same year to probe the murders and the subsequent violence.

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BJP hits out at Naveen for refusing entry for Togadia in Kandhamal

Bhubaneswar (Orissa) : The BJP in Orissa has strongly criticized Naveen Patnaik led Government for refusing to grant permission to VHP International general secretary Prabin Togadia to visit Kandhamal district.
BJP State president Jual Oram said the State Government had allowed a European Union delegates to Kandhamal who met the local Christian clerics indulging in indiscriminate conversion of Hindu Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe people in the district.
The police who are framing false cases against them at the instigation by the local churches and foreign delegates representing EU countries subjects the tribal people to untold atrocities, he alleged.
The denial of permission to Togadia is unconstitutional, unreasonable, arbitrary and a deliberate affront against Hindus, said Oram, adding that the Chief Minister would remain squarely responsible for any untoward incident that might erupt due to this blatantly discriminatory treatment which is extremely challenging.

Nine get jail, one acquitted in Kandhamal riots case

Bhubaneswar: Nine people were convicted and sentenced to four years in jail by a trial court on Tuesday for their role in the riots in Orissa's Kandhamal district in 2008. One man was acquitted due to lack of evidence.

'Nine people were convicted and sentenced to a four-year jail term and fined Rs.5,500 each in a case of arson during Kandhamal riots. One man named Hrushi Pradhan has been acquitted in the absence of evidence,' P.K. Patra, the public prosecutor, said.

The Fast Track Court-II Judge C.R. Das convicted the nine people of Salesaru village for torching the house of Balusan Digal and other villagers on Aug 25, 2008.

Kandhamal district, about 200 km from here, witnessed widespread violence after the killing of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and four of his aides at his ashram on Aug 23, 2008.

More than 25,000 Christians were forced to flee after their houses were attacked by rampaging mobs that held Christians responsible for Saraswati's killing, although the police blamed the Maoists.

The government has set up two fast track courts to try cases related to the communal violence.

Raped nun fails to get notice for ID parade

Police have failed to notify a Catholic nun, raped during the 2008 anti-Christian violence in Orissa, of an identity parade including a new suspect in the case.

“Unofficially we knew … that the court fixed March 8″ for the identification lineup, Lansingh Lu Rongmei, one of a team of lawyers dealing with the nun’s case told UCA News today.

“But until she gets the summons, how can she attend?” the lawyer asked.

The nun, 29, also feared going to Kandhamal and she planned to request that the court move the police lineup outside the district.

On two previous occasions, the court had allowed the lineup to be moved to Cuttack, the state’s ancient capital, as the nun did not feel safe in Kandhamal.

Kandhamal was the epicenter of the seven-week long riot where she was raped on Aug. 25.

“The district is not yet safe for the nun. And, we also do not think the police would act in a fair manner,” the lawyer said.

She accused police of standing by while the nun was paraded half naked after she had been raped.

Rongmei said the investigating officer had applied to the court in Balliguda, Kandhamal, last month for an identity parade featuring the new suspect.

Father Thomas Chellan, who was also attacked on the same day, was also due to attend but he did not receive notification either, she said.

The last time the nun attended a lineup was on June 23, 2009, conducted inside Choudwar Circle Jail in Cuttack. Police lined up about 80 people, mixing prisoners with eight suspects, and asked the nun to identify those who attacked her.

A similar exercise was conducted on Dec. 5, 2008. On that day, she identified two people — one who slapped her and another who was in the crowd that attacked her.

Sister Mary Pulickal, superior of the nun, told UCA News today that the nuns “will not go to Kandhamal; we cannot go there because we do not feel safe.” Press Trust of India, quoting official sources, said 19 people have been arrested in the case so far. The state police’s Crime Branch was in search of two others, they said.

The news agency said Crime Branch officials also failed to turn up for yesterday’s lineup.

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If one is not Hindu he could not be Indian: Bhagwat

Bhopal, Feb 28 (PTI) RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat today said that those who were Indians were Hindus and if one was not a Hindu he could not be an Indian.
"For us the word Hindu did not mean any religion but a way of life," he said at an annual function of the RSS and the Hindu Samagam here.
The Union Finance Minister had in his budget speech quoted from Chanakaya but this was totally out of context, Bhagwat said, adding that what Chanakaya had said was valid for his times and not the present-day India.
The RSS chief hit out equally at America and China for trying to undermine India in a number of ways.
Bhagwat said that while America dumped rejected and cheap drugs in India, China was making attempts to make sure that it alone was the most powerful power in South Asia.

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Churches in Punjab burnt over poster controversy

Email from Bishop Samantroy, CNI

Following the protests by Christians against display of Jesus Christ holding a cigarette and a beer can in Shillong , the Epiphany Church in Batala,  has been attacked by some religious fundamentalists.

It was one of the most beautiful historic churches built in Mughal style in 1893. The lock was broken open and the church was vandalized. The altar, pulpit and beautifully carved wooden furniture are burned down.

This is the first incident of such kind in the region of Punjab. 

Christian leaders are meeting to discuss the matter and to plan actions to be taken.

Christians in the whole region are extremely hurt and agitated over this incident.

Kindly pray for the leaders that right decisions can be made and that peace and solidarity may be restored.

Objectionable Jesus poster sparks violence, curfew

An indefinite curfew is imposed in the Punjab town of Batala on Saturday after tension prevailed following the publication of a poster depicting Jesus Christ in an objectionable manner. Clashes also broke out as some members of the Christian community forced shopkeepers to down shutters.

The curfew was imposed after members of the Christian community came to know about the poster, depicting Jesus Christ holding a beer can in one hand and what appeared to be either a cigarette or a chicken leg in the other.

They started gathering in the town and forced the shopkeepers to close their shops, leading to clashes. The police intervened when they tried to burn a few buildings.

Batala, 40 km from Amritsar, has a sizeable Christian population and several leading schools and other institutions have been run by the community for the past several decades.

The curfew will continue till further orders, officials said here.

Punjab police chief P.S. Gill said a case had been registered against the printer of the objectionable poster.

"The printing press in which the controversial poster was printed had been sealed and a case has been registered against the accused at the police station in Jalandhar's Division No. 4.

"Additional forces have been sent to sensitive areas to restore the confidence of the people," Gill said in Chandigarh, 250 km from here.

Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, who is also the state home minister, condemned the act and said no one would be allowed to disturb the peace of the state.

Pictures of Jesus Christ holding a cigarette in one hand and a beer can in the other in a book for primary classes triggered a row in Meghalaya Friday. The objectionable pictures were found in the cursive writing exercise books at a school in Shillong.

The Catholic Church in India has banned in all its member schools New Delhi-based Skyline Publications for printing the pictures in class 1 cursive writing books.

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Dealt with Iron Hand

Reacting to the acts of violence in Batala over the publication of a “sacrilegious” poster of Jesus Christ, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said the SAD-BJP government would not allow anyone in the state to disrespect any religion and take the law into their hands.

“Some forces are out to disturb communal harmony and peace in the state in a calculated manner. But the government is committed to maintaining peace at any cost,” said Badal, who was in the city for the foundation stone laying ceremony of Government College, Ghuddha. on Sunday. “Such forces will be dealt with an iron hand. The people of Punjab should also oppose such forces that emerge as a threat to peace in the state,” the CM added.

Badal said one person had been rounded up by the police in connection with the photo controversy and a probe is being conducted into whether the incident was a planned conspiracy. In his speech, Badal accused the Congress of engineering “such incidents which posed a threat to peace in the state”.

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Church attacks: Cop deposes, advocates spar

BANGALORE: After indicting the Sri Rama Sene and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad for the church attacks in the state in its interim report, the Justice BK Somasekhar Commission on Monday witnessed an exchange of heated arguments among the advocates as a police witness deposed.

Advocates appearing for the Hindu bodies objected to questions raised by HNM Prasad, the advocate appearing for Christian memorialists while cross-examining Raghukumar, sub-inspector of Arsikere police station, Davanagere.

Narayana Reddy, an advocate defending police and Madhusudhan Adiga, an advocate representing the Hindu organisations expressed displeasure towards the commission for not allowing them to intervene as Raghukumar was questioned.

During the questioning by Jagadeesh, an advocate representing a Christian organisation, Raghukumar admitted accepting complaints from members of the Hindu Jagaran Vedike against Pastor Rajshekar and Shanthamma, who were preaching Christianity at their homes in Uchangi Durga in Arsikere.

However, when Madhusudhan Adiga questioned him, Raghukumar denied the complainant Deepak Karnade belonging to Hindu Jagaran Vedike. Meanwhile, TS Vasanth Kumar Bhawani, president of Sri Rama Sene, Bangalore had filed the application before the commission seeking an interim report as it had implicated the organisation in the church attacks.

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Christian arrested in Karnataka on false charges

A Christian was arrested on alleged charges of forced conversion in Puttur Taluka, Karnataka.

Harish, 35 years from Mardala Village, Puttur, Karnataka was reportedly returning home from a friend’s house after prayer on February, 7, 2010 at about 4:30 pm, when he was arrested. His wife Lakhsmi, 28 years, and their 2 month old child was also detained by the police for 5 hours on the pretext of investigation.

Harish has been charged undersections 149, 295, and 295A of the Indian Penal Code. He was produced before the Puttur Magistrate on the same night and was sent to Mangalore jail.

The complainant has been identified as one Sekhar, who is said to be the local Bajrang Dal leader.

BJP leaders question EU team visit to Kandhamal

Bhubaneshwar, Feb. 7 (ANI): Elders and leaders of various tribes in Orissa's Kandhamal District have voiced suspicious about a European Union (EU) delegation visiting their region saying it would hamper peace and re-ignite violence.

The 11-member EU delegation visited Kandhamal region on Wednesday.

The delegation held discussions with Orissa Government officials Christian leaders and human rights activists in Bhubaneswar.
Addressing the media here, the tribal leaders recalled that Kandhamal was rocked by communal violence in mid-2008, sparked off by the murder of a senior Hindu leader.
Consequently, the area witnessed large-scale killings. Hundreds of families were forced to flee to safer locations.
On this score, the tribal leaders alleged that the EU team's one-day stay at Kandhamal has started creating ripples.
"They have met a particular community and interacted with them. They also conducted a secret meeting. By doing this, we are predicting that Kandhamal will again become volatile. They have already sown the seeds of conflict between different faiths in the area," claimed Karendra Majhi, a tribal leader and BJP MLA.
The EU delegation was supposed to visit the area to assess socio-economic cultural development after riots.
However, elders in Kandhamal contend that the delegation met people of only one community behind closed doors which raised many eyebrows.
"EUs delegation from eleven countries came to review the socio-economic development of the society after the riots. But from their programme it seems that their visit is communal. They are trying to influence the authorities, police department and judiciary,"noted Laxmikanta Das, General Secretary, Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram.
"This is dangerous for the internal security of the region and we are completely against this. The state government has knowingly supported them, which is highly condemnable," he added. (ANI)

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1 more church vandalized in Karnataka

UNI, Friday, 05 February 2010

Mandya : Miscreants attack on churches continue with one more church in Malavalli Taluk in the district desecrated in the early hours of today.
The incident was second in just 10 days after the attack on holy family church at Hinakal on the outskirts of Mysore City and came within days after Justice B K Somasekhar Commission submitted its interim report on attacks on churches or places of worship.
Police said a group of unidentified men gained entry into the 60-year-old St Mathias Church's and vandalised the holy Tabernacle where the church authorities preserve Eucharist (Body of Christ).
The miscreants also made away with precious Chalice and 10 silk sarees kept in two cupboards. However, the statue of St Mathias and the Holy Cross remained untouched.
Mr Jeevan Kumar Gaonkar, IGP (Southern Range), who visited the spot, told mediapersons that it was too early to comment whether it was an act of deliberate desecration or a burglary attempt was made.
''Taking into consideration the way miscreants have vandalised the property of church, it gives an impression of burglary.
''But police would investigate all angles. Especially, with controversies over church attacks being largely debated, it is possible the attackers might give it a colour of burglary to escape from larger crime of desecration.''

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EU delegation meets victims of Kandhamal violence

A European Union team was given a rousing welcome here on Thursday by those affected by anti-Christian violence in August 2008.

The victims showered petals on the visiting delegates at the rehabilitation camp at Nandagiri in the G. Udaigiri area. Many in the camp danced to drumbeats and several shook hands with the11-member team.

The camp has 55 families living in tents. They did not want to return to their native village, Betikala, a few km away, for fear of attacks by the majority community.

The administration, in association with the Believers’ Church, is building homes for them.

Money provided by the Centre, the State government and the church as compensation was being used for the purpose.

Inmates happy

Interacting with the team members, the camp residents said they were happy with whatever the administration had done to rehabilitate them.

They, however, sought the intervention of the team to ensure work for them and livelihood support. Many of them demanded opening of a school and a prayer hall near the colony.

“We suffered for our religion. We should be provided a prayer house,” Sabita Nayak told the team in the presence of local people and journalists.

The church and houses in their village were damaged and burnt down in the violence that followed the killing of Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Swami Lakshmanananda on August 23, 2008.

There was no opposition to the EU team’s visit to the district by activists of any organisation.

A group of Bajrang Dal activists staged a protest when the team arrived at Bhubaneswar on Tuesday evening.

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Rehabilitation is nowhere near completion

Prafulla Das

KANDHAMAL: The administration, the Sal trees in the hills, vast stretches of barren fields and nondescript hamlets of this Orissa district give an impression that everything is alright with the people living here. But the reality on the ground is different.

A visit to some villages where Christian families were attacked in the aftermath of the killing of VHP leader Lakshmanananda Saraswati showed that rehabilitation of the riot-hit population was nowhere near completion.

“I am still not able to return to my village. I have filed a case against those who burnt down our house. Those from the Hindu community have put up an impossible condition for my return. They demand that I bring along with me the two youths who had been sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for their involvement in my case,” says Subas Digal.

Digal (32), who belongs to Padhanpada village, is now living in a rented house at Tengedapathar village near Tikabali, and maintains his family by working on daily wages.

“Of the eight Christian families in our village, only one family has returned so far. The others are living in different places or distant towns outside the district,” Digal says.

Although there has been no communal clash in the district in the recent past, except for a small conflict between the members of the two communities on the eve of the EU team’s visit, many affected families are still living in relief camps away from their villages.

The process of payment of compensation is still incomplete.

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BJP criticizes Somashekhara for going public

BANGALORE: State BJP president KS Eshwarappa on Thursday took strong objections to former Justice BK Somashekhara making his interim report on church attacks public.

No head of a commission in the past has committed such a mistake and Justice Somashekhara should publicly accept his mistake, Eshwarappa demanded, while asking political parties including Congress and JD(S), to condemn the act of Justice Somashekhara.

Eshwarappa also pointed out that the report had nowhere held any specific organisation responsible for the attacks as it was being reported in the media. He also accused the Congress and the JD(S) of using the report as a weapon against the government.

To a question, he said that maintaining communal harmony in the state had been the prime focus of the BJP government and it would remain so in the future also.

MLA apologises

Gulbarga South MLA Chandrashekhar Patil Revoor who had publicly raised his voice against Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa during a function in Gulbarga recently, apologised for his behaviour on Thursday.

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AICC press release on EU visit

ALL INDIA CHRISTIAN COUNCIL

PRESS NOTE

Protest against hounding of G Udaigiri refugees as Kandhamal Administration cleans up district on eve of European Delegation Visit; government must give time frame for rehab, employment of all victims Kandhamal-Bhubaneswar, 3 February 2010.

All India Christian Council Secretary General Dr John Dayal, who is also a member of the National Integration Council, has expressed his deep distress and anguish at the hounding of and forcible evacuations of Christian refugees living in shanties in G Udaigiri in a cosmetic operation on the eve of the visit of the European delegation which will go to the district on 4th and 5th February 2010.

In letters to the EU delegation, as also to the State government and national human rights and minorities commissions, Dr Dayal narrated the plight of the 91 members of 21 families of 11 villages now being forced to live under plastic sheets along the road in the New Hatu-Pada [weekly marketplace] of G Udaigiri town, just outside the town.

The families are originally refugees from the villages of Killaka, Kutuluma, Rotingia-Porakia, Kiramaha, Dokadia, G-Mangia, Ratingia, Dhangarama, Lorangia, Dakapala, Rudiangia, in Raikia and other blocks. The group includes 11 married women, three widows, and an old man with fracture of the hips and thighs, and two infants who were born in the camp.

The families said they had to flee their villages in the first wave of violence on 25-26 August 2008, and were out up in the Habaika High school refugee camp run by the government. After some months, as the government arbitrarily started closing down the formal refugee camps, they were dispersed from Habaika and came to stay in the cemented platforms and structures of the New Hato Pada market just outside the G Udaigiri township. The men folk found casual work as labour in the shops and fields nearby as they were not being given any aid by the government, or indeed by any other official or voluntary agency. They had been abandoned to their fate.

They were constantly harassed by the market authorities, but allowed to stay on after their daily dose of threats and abuses. They could not go back to their villages where they had been threatened all these months with the village leaders insisting they would be allowed only if they converted to Hinduism.

Suddenly, when it was learnt that the EU delegation was coming, the Market Committee secretary, Jeevan Pattnaik, came with uniformed men, said he was going to lock up the pump of the bore well which provided them water, and told them to get out of the market. Barring the family of the man whose thighs are fractured and who cannot move at all, the other families fled the market and set up their shanties along the road, on the raised boundary, using plastic sheets as a roof to shield them from the winter.

Last night the Naib Tehsildar, the civil officer in charge of the G Udaigiri block, came to spot with a jeep of police accompanying him and asked the refugees to get out their shanties and move away. When they, and in particular the women, protested, he told them they could for the night come back to the market sheds, but to clear the road, as those were his orders. A blackout of the mobile phone system in Kandhamal which had lasted 48 hours prevented a faster implementation

of his orders as other officials had to be summoned from the Raikia town by sending a messenger. When I left the place at 10 pm, the refugees were still on the road in their shanties.

Dr Dayal said it was a matter of regret that a drive has been launched to ensure that visiting fact finding teams, and in particular the EU delegation, do not see the real magnitude of tragedy, and that it is continuing. Much worse, the inhuman trauma on the children, women and men who have been thrice displaced, has not even been taken into official consideration.

At this moment, there is no information if the authorities at all want to give land and rehabilitate this group of 91 human beings. The government has also not spoken of the rehabilitation of tens of thousands of refugees, or how it intends to see that the houses which were destroyed, are completed. Even with the help of the church, more than half of the 5,600 or so houses will still remain un-built, or incomplete. There is no information on employment of the victims and resuming the interrupted education of thousands of children. There are also over 270 families in Barakhama who were displaced in the December 2007 violence and are still to get land or house. The government must give a time frame for all this, Dr Dayal said.

The AICC has expressed the hope the authorities will take humanitarian action and settle the G. Udaigiri refugees. “We also hope the justice dispensation process will ensure just punishment for all those who are threatening this group with forcible conversion. The authorities must also take disciplinary action against the erring officials”, the press statement said.

Signed

John Dayal

Interim report on Church attack out- Commission wants clarity and action

MANGALORE, February 1, 2010: Finally there is light at the end of the tunnel, the interim report on attacks on Church and Christian Community in Mangalore in 2008 which was released here today has made several recommendations that may pave the way to a better management of communal and religious milieu in the district in particular and the region in general. The report of Justice B.K. Somashekar committee inquiring into the attacks on Churches, monasteries, convents and other prayer houses in September 2008 has been released today in a simple function attended by the press and few officials from the home ministry, police and the Deputy commissioner of Dakshina Kannada.
The report which is as voluminous as 500 pages of hard text was handed over to the Additional Chief Secretary for the Home minister Mr. Abhijit Das Gupta by the Chairman of the Commission Justice B.K. Somashekar.  In the report Justice Somashkar has made 20 recommendations and many of them were directions given to the government to withdraw all criminal cases investigated or charge sheeted against all persons or institutions for attacks to give that healing touch to the episode.
The commission has directed the government to take definite action unscrupulous religious organizations that carries out campaigns against other religions. "They should be banned as per law existing, to be legislated with the serious consequences of forfeiting assets to the government free from all encumbrances" he has advised. The cut off date for such an action should be 31st December 2008.
Justice Somashekar has also recommended that "All materials in any form including the press and media using abusive or insulting expressions either direct or with innuendoes touching the religious interests should be banned."

The report has suggested stringent action against those who film, televise and play offending religious sentiments. The recommendations has also suggested that the "government should enlarge the scope of Chapter of 15, specially sections 295, 295-A and 298 of the Indian Penal Code with stringent sentences of minimum period of punishment, with no bail and no right of appeal in addition to disqualification to contest in any election or to hold any post or office in any status.
Mr. Somashekar has stressed on the constitution of Commission of Religions. He has stated that the fundamental rights enshrined in the constitution under the Article 25 should be the only criterion for this commission. This commission should represent all religions through their heads and a registrar of religions to execute the policies of the commission through the agencies of the government with its own regulations and decisions that binds the government.  He said "this measure will ensure protection and privileges to genuine members of a religious minority and eliminate fraudulent methods of misusing a religious tag for selfish purposes, detrimental to the religious interests of the country within the constitutional expectations. He also recommended that the government may conduct a census of religions and their institutions through the commission.
Other recommendations included, passing a legislation that will prevent atrocities on individuals on religious basis, religious harmony programmes to be conducted at village levels, claims of compensations to be cleared expeditiously by a competent authorities in the case of loss of life, property and material loss. The compensation should be cleared within one month of the reported loss. The report has also recommended "least policing or no policing." All religious matters has to be handled with care and compassion by taking the religious leaders or heads into confidence. In the course of the report Justice Somashekar has outlined various issues like the police excess, inadequate compensation, politicization of religions, using religious sentiments for political gains and has asked the government to constitute a "Commission of Religions" and a "Task Force" to take forward the recommendations of the commission.
According to the synopsis of the report there were no attacks in 13 districts including Bidar, Bijapur, Chamarajanagar, Gadag, Gulburga, Hassan, Haveri, Koppal, Mandya, Raichur, Ramanagaram, Tumkur and Uttara Kannada as per the report.

A total of 8 petitions have been filed from four districts- Balgakot, Chitradurga, Shimoga and Dharwad and according to the commission they did not conform to the reference of the commission.

In district like Bangalore rural, Belgaum, Kodagu, there were report of incidents but they were not cases of attack on the Churches or the places of worship. They were closed and compounded in Criminal cases as a private dispute. There were a total of 6 petitions in these districts.

There were a total of 55 petitions in Bangalore urban and Bangalore rural some of them were alleged attacks and some of them were true attacks these attacks have been categorized under minimum, substantial and grievous. Dakshina Kannada had maximum numbers of petitions with 554, followed by Davanagere 238, Udupi 100, Chikmagalur 27 petitions Chikkaballapur 7, Bellary 3, and Dharwad 2.

Christians want justice- Meet Commission Chairman

MANGALORE: The representatives of the Christian communities in the city have met Justice B.K. Somashekar and have appealed to him to protect them from the rabid Hindutva organisations who open attacks on the peace loving Christian community. They even gave a memorandum to him. Following is the text of the memorandum.

With great disillusionment we are making this representation regarding the treatment being meted out to the members of our community in our district and in spite of several representations and requests we are being repeatedly targeted and our religious places are vandalized by some hardcore fundamentalists without fear of any punishment, said the memorandum.

Sir, you are well aware about the preplanned and premeditated attacks on our churches on 14.09.2008 and 15.09.2008 and the backlash following the attacks. There afterwards it was but natural for the members of our community to be on the defensive and feel prejudiced. There after repeatedly our churches and institutions are being targeted on one pretext or the other. Though the government has been assuring that the miscreants will be taken to task and necessary actions will be taken against them, we are still waiting to get justice and we still are clutching to the hope that justice will be done.

Given the fact that our community members are still reeling from the aftermath of the unfortunate and undemocratic attacks on our churches in the District on 14.09.2008, such incidents only are rekindling the feeling of bitterness and anguish lying dormant in the heart of the members of our community. Further in view of the unfortunate incidents that followed the attacks and in view of the fact that there was great loss and damage to life and property following the attacks; it is but natural for us to become wary and defensive. That attacks have made us realize how vulnerable we are in our own land in the hands of few fundamentalists. You would definitely concede that if it were not for the restraint exercised by the members of our community following the attacks, story would be altogether different then. But we still stand by our policy of peace and brotherhood and take great pride and privilege of being citizens of our country. 

That recently when we came to know about the premeditated attacks being made to our churches and religious institutions in Mysore and Bhatkal solely with an intention to create communal discord by targeting the minority community we were constrained to seek protection to our lives and properties in the District by making representation to the Deputy commissioner and Commissioner of Police. This appeared even in the all the Newspapers.
We do not want any such incidents to occur since it will leave a trail of violence and destruction which we want to avoid at any costs. Our religious feelings have been trampled once again, we were made to feel like outsiders in our own land and we have not yet come out of its shock. We will not be able to withstand such humiliation and disgrace once more. Hence before any such incidents happen we need to be protected and proper precautionary and preventive measures needs to be taken to prevent any such attacks being carried out, they said in the memorandum.

Hence we kindly request you to direct the Government and the administration authorities and the police authorities to provide us with immediate proper protection for our various religious, charitable, medical and educational institutions and also to the entire Christian community at large and also to apprehend the people behind the attack for which we will be thankful to your good selves. Right to practice and propagate any religion is a fundamental right and state is duty bound to give protection in this regard as held by the Supreme Court. Therefore the Government and the District administrative authorities shall discharge their constitutional obligations and prevent such untoward incidents at least here afterwards. Kindly consider our humble request.

Justice Somashekar appealed them to exercise restraint and he will see to that the culprits are brought to book.

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VHP says EU delegation's visit to Orissa's Kandhamal would trigger fresh tension

Report by Orissadiary correspondent; Bhubaneswar: Viswa Hindu Parishad (VHP)  on Sunday said the tour of European Union delegation to Kandhamal district would trigger fresh tension in the district and demanding immediate withdrawal of permission to the diplomatic delegation from European Union to visit Kandhamal district.

VHP State General Secretary Gouri Prasad Brahma told here the media persons that the proposed visit of the European Union delegation should be cancelled by the state government and to withdraw the permission granted for the purpose .He expressed that peace had returned to the tribal dominated district after prolonged violence following the murder of Swami Laxmanananda Swaraswati.  The visit of European Union delegation would only spark off fresh tension . It  is the responsibility of our government to deal with the problem .There is no business of the Outsiders in the internal matter of the state.

It is to mention here that a 10-member Diplomatic delegation from the European Union is likely to visit Orissa on 2nd February, 2010. They will stay in Orissa up to 5th February. They will visit Kandhamal district to observe the present situation .They will discuss with the Chief Secretary and Home Secretary before their visit to Kandhamal district. They will also discuss with Ark Bishop Rafel Chinath and the leaders of Khristian Organisons . They are visiting Orissa under the leadership of Political Advisor of Delhi European Union Raphel Minat. The state government has allowed the diplomats to visit the communally fragile district .Besides meeting the people, the diplomats would hold discussions with the district administration. The district police would provide security to them. Though diplomats of five European countries had visited the state last November, they were not allowed by the state government to visit Kandhamal district.

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