ATTACKS ON CHRISTIANS IN ORISSA
( Advocate Shri S.H.Iyer)
This history of violent attacks on Christians in Orissa is not new. Ever since the legislature of Orissa enacted Orissa Freedom of Religion Act in the year 1967, the onslaught on Christians by the upper caste Hindus got momentum steadily and was at peak in December 2007 when hundreds of residential houses, schools, churches and such other buildings of the Christian community of Kandhamal district of Orissa were destroyed mercilessly by the violent mobs of RSS, Bajrang Dal, VHP etc.
In the year 1984 around 94 houses, schools, hostel buildings, churches were burnt and since then systematic attacks have continued almost every year. On 22nd June 1999, an Australian priest Rev.Graham Stains and his two sons Timothy and Stephen were burnt alive and killed by the Hindu fundamentalists. The last attack was in December 2007 during Christmas festival.
The man behind all violent attacks on Christians in Orissa for the past four decades is Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati of Sangh Pariwar Through his hate campaign and lies he has been poisoning the minds of the simple people in the villages.
VIOLENT ATTACKS OF 2007
The local Christian community organizations of Bamunigaon village of Kandhamal district of Ortssa obtained necessary permission for holding Christmas celebration. It was at that point of time on when a Bandh call was given by the Sangh Parivar on 25th and 26th December. The miscreants ransacked and destroyed all Pandals, stage etc. made by the Christians on the main road of Bamunigaon village for celebration of Christmas. Swami Laxmananda landed up at the spot in his jeep and ordered his security guards to disperse the crowd that had gathered on the road. Trouble started when the guards beat up the people with sticks to make way for Swami’s jeep. Somebody from the mob pelted stone on Swami – and that was enough. The Swami made lot of hue and cry, lodged complaint with Police, got himself admitted in the hospital and ultimately message was spread all over Orissa – Christian attacked Hindu religious leader Swami Laxmananda. From that very moment onwards, thousands of saffron-brigade goons tookover the law and administration, as was evident in Gujarat after Godhra carnage in 2002.
ENQUIRY COMMISSION
The Government of Orissa appointed Enquiry Commission under the Chairmanship of Justice Basudev Panigrahi, a retired judge of the Orissa High Court to enquire into and report in respect of the incidents of violence and recommend remedial measures.
PROCEEDINGS OF COMMISSION
The Commission held its first formal sitting at Bhubneshwar in May 2008 and thereafter. The regular hearing commenced at Phulbani town from 14-6-2008.
On the very first day of hearing, Justice Panigrahi addressed the Advocates present in the proceeding- to convey the message of the State – that he has already visited all the riot affected villages, has already met the victims and has already made up his mind and that he would hold enquiry at four places and complete the enquiry within three months as per notification by calling five to six witnesses from every village. “During my visit to the riot affected villages I have noticed that the Christian have brutally attacked an 84-years old holy Swami Shri Laxmananda and have destroyed the houses of Hindus. In some villages I have also noticed that certain Christians have also been attacked..”
Only after Advocate Shri Subramaniam Iyer, who was representing the victims protested, Justice Panigrahi agreed to give a hearing to the victims without announcing his conclusions! Shri Iyer had said that, “it is not fair on the part of the Commission to identify the victims as either Christian victims or Hindu victims. They must be identified merely as victims of violence, irrespective of their religion.
The Commission thereafter attempted to rush through the recording of the evidence by suggesting to call just a few witnesses who were the victims of the violence. The Commission was pointed out that 473 victims have filed their respective affidavits and therefore to conduct a fair enquiry, majority of the deponents ought to be examined. This suggestion appeared to have shocked the Hon’ble Commission. “How many affidavits?” he asked. “Do you mean that I have to call all 473 persons?!” he had exclaimed! The Commission had thereafter stated to Shri Iyer that if he had to examine most of the victims then he would not be able to complete enquiry before two years. After the Commission was pointed out that the Nanavati Commission in Gujarat was scanning through more than 45,000 affidavits, he agreed to call everybody.
The evidencing of the witnesses from Sangh Parivar had the same story to tell. That the Christians have themselves burnt down their houses, churches, schools etc. and after burning all these, they attacked the Hindus. That the Christian missionaries are converting poor tribal Hindus to Christianity with the help of their `foreign fund’ etc. If the opening remarks of the Commission were any indicator, the Government objective was only to put the stamp of approval on what the witnesses have said against the Christians to be the truth.
those hindu fanatics should be hanged to death