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Centre tells Orissa and Karnataka to stop attacks on Chris¬tians

	September 22, 2008

The Centre has issued advisories to the Orissa and Karnataka governments asking them to take steps to end the attacks on members of the minority Christian community. The Centre said that the violence against the community was a breach of the constitu¬tional provisions and the law of the land.



An advisory sent by Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta to the BJP-ruled Karnataka government did not mention that it was invok¬ing Article 355 of the Constitution. Sources in the government said that the constitutional requirement was available to the Centre under Article 355 that entrusted it with the “duty to protect every state against external aggression and internal disturbance and to ensure that the government of every state is carried on in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.”



The Home Ministry drew Karnataka’s attention to the fact that those behind the violence were “roaming freely,” and said it was a matter of grave concern.



“It has generated a perception that adequate steps are not being taken to bring the situation under control and effective action not taken against those responsible for such incidents,” the advisory sent to the State Chief Secretary said.



Warning that such a situation would “seriously vitiate the atmosphere” in the State, the Ministry said there were apprehen¬sions within the country and abroad that the situation amounted to a breach of the Constitution and the law of the country.



“The situation cannot be allowed to continue and immediate steps should be taken to bring it under control and apprehend the anti-social elements,” the terse directive warned.



The advisory asked Karnataka and Orissa to deploy adequate forces wherever necessary to prevent recurrence of such violence. It sought reports on the action taken by them.



Thursday’s advisory asked Karnataka to provide “protection to members of all communities, their property and institutions, and to restore a sense of security and confidence among them.”



Similar advisories were sent to Madhya Pradesh and Kerala, asking them to instil a sense of security among all sections of society.





Central action motivated and prejudiced: BJP



Reacting to the advisories sent by the Centre, the BJP said that the action was politically motivated and highly prejudiced. Party spokeperson Ravi Shankar Prasad, speaking in New Delhi on September 19 said that Article 355 had been used to send the advisories to Karnataka and Orissa because the BJP was a coali¬tion partner in Orissa and ruling in Karnataka. He said no such directive was given to Assam where Hindi-speaking people were targeted and became victims of large scale violence.



Ravi Shankar Prasad said in West Bengal too, the Centre did not use Article 355 when ruling party members were involved in violence in Nandigram. He claimed that the Chief Ministers of Orissa and Karnataka had taken steps to curb the violence against Christians.





Centre warns Bajrang Dal to mend its ways



Faced with demands for action against Sangh parivar outfit Bajrang Dal in the light of violence against Christians in Orissa and Karnataka, the Centre has put the outfit on notice. Informa¬tion and Broadcasting Minister Priyranajan Das Munshi said in New Delhi on September 18 that the developments are being watched and the role of the Bajrang Dal in the violence is being scrutinized. He said there are demands to ban the Bajarang Dal.





Serious lapses on Karnataka government’s part: NCM



The National Commission for Minorities (NCM) has said that there are “serious lapses” on the part of the Karnataka govern¬ment in controlling the attacks on churches and prayer halls throughout the State.



It has sought the arrest of Bajrang Dal State convener Mahendra Kumar, who has claimed responsibility for many of the attacks, and action against the police personnel, who allegedly abetted violence.



Commission chairman Mohamed Shafi Qureshi and member Harcharan Singh Josh told journalists in Bangalore on Thursday, September 18, that Home Minister V.S. Acharya had promised to arrest Kumar.



Qureshi said the attacks began in August last week. “Had the government been cautious, this would not have happened.” The Commission has sought an independent inquiry.





Josh said that in all 21 places of Christian worship were attacked and 201 people, including Christians and Hindus, arrest¬ed so far. The Commission would submit a report to the Prime Min¬ister this week on the violence against Christians in Karnataka.





No let up in Orissa and Karnataka violence



There was no let up in communal trouble in Orissa and Karna¬taka last week. Violence erupted in Kandhamal district of Orissa when hundreds of armed men attacked a police station and shot dead a constable on Tuesday, September 16.



In Karnataka, many people were injured in scuffles after attacks on Christian prayer halls.



The violence spread to neighbouring Kerala with a mob at¬tacking a missionary run school-cum church in Kasargod district.





One killed in Vadodara in communal clash



One person was killed and twenty injured in police firing and stone throwing in Vadodara, Gujarat on Monday, September 15, following a communal clash over an alleged attack on a Ganesh idol immersion procession. The police fired four rounds after lobbing 21 teargas shells to control warring groups throwing stones at each other. Curfew was clamped in the affected areas.