Politician accuses Orissa government of duplicity in religious violence

(Jan. 11, 2012) The Government of eastern India’s Orissa State was a co-conspirator in anti-Christian violence in Kandhamal district in 2007 and 2008 because it did nothing to prevent it, according to a Congress Party leader. Addressing an inquiry on January 9 into the violence, Narasingha Mishra said the government protected those responsible and was therefore a “co-conspirator” in the riot that took place on the night of December 24, 2007 and the subsequent killings. Accusing the ruling Biju Janata Dal party of being hand in glove with the rioters, Mishra told the Justice Sarat Chandra Mohapatra commission, that the then superintendent of police, and another top official should have been punished for negligence. Although Christian leaders warned the authorities about the possibility of violence after the killing of Hindu hardliner Swami Laxamananda Saraswati in Augus, 2008, no preventive measures were taken, he said. The violence claimed nearly 100 lives and destroyed more than 6,500 houses. Mishra, former law minister, was summoned by the commission on the basis of a statement he made in the Orissa Assembly when he was deputy leader of the Congress Legislature Party. His statement was based on conversations with the victims, said Mishra.The hearing has been adjourned to March to allow Mishra to file more papers. Fr. Manoj Kumar Nayak, director of social work in Cuttack-Bhubaneswar Archdiocese, said “it was quite encouraging to note that a man of Mishra’s stature had spoken for the victims. It would have a definite impact on the people as well as in administrative circles.”The priest said he would soon meet with eminent figures in the state to update them on the Kandhamal issue, as the local media was “not painting” an accurate picture.