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 Phulbani: At least 12 churches and prayer houses in rural areas were torched and a Congress MP`s house was attacked in violence for the fourth consecutive day in Orissa`s tribal dominated Kandhamal district on 27 December 2007.
Miscreants ransacked and torched over a dozen churches and prayer halls at G Udaygiri, Nuagaon, Brahmanigaon and Phulbani Sadar, while the residence of Rajya Sabha Congress MP RadhaKant Nayak was ransacked in Dasingbadi, the police said. Saffron activists and Kui tribals, opposing tribal status to Christians belonging to SC `Pana` group joined hands, with clashes breaking out at Brahmanigaon in Daringbadi area.
"Fresh incidents of arson and clashes were reported from Brahmanigaon and extra forces were sent to control the situation," District Collector Bhabagrahi Mohapatra said. Curfew was in force in Phulbani and Baliguda towns besides Daringibadi and Brahmanigaon areas, he said. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who visited Phulbani during the day, said one person had been killed so far. State Congress chief Jayadev Jena, however, claimed that five persons were killed. Alleging that four of the victims were killed during the day at Barakhama in Baliguda police station area, Jena demanded Patnaik`s resignation accusing the BJD-BJP government of failing to contain the violence. Of the 12 places of worship torched 27 December 2007, seven were in Gandapadar, Badahapanga, Bhandarapada, Pisupadar, Masapadar, Minia and Adigara under Phulbani Sadar police station area in the early hours, church and police sources said. Three churches and prayer halls were ransacked and burnt at Bakingia, Tiangia and Kotaguda, while a minor blast was also reported, the sources said. Several houses of minority members were ransacked in Nuagaon area. Around two dozen persons were arrested from the district, the sources said. Patnaik after returning to Bhubaneswar said the situation was improving and action was being taken against the perpetrators of the violence. He denied the opposition parties, CPI and CPI-M`s allegation that the government was responsible for the violence by sheltering saffron activists to keep BJD`s alliance with BJP intact. Patnaik said the government was not being `soft` towards VHP. Kandhamal has been witnessing violence since 24 December 2007 after a clash in Brahmanigaon and subsequent alleged attack on VHP leader Laxmanananda Saraswati, leading to retaliation by saffron outfits. The violence led to the cancellation of services on Christmas day in the district. (Source: zeenews.com 27 December 2007) |
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