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 Kandhamal: For the first time in more than a decade, the Palm Sunday procession could not be carried out at Tiyangia village under Raikia police station in Udayagiri block of Kandhamal district, Orissa. The pageant was called off after a crowd of armed Hindutva extremists threatened local Christians on 15 March 2008 morning.
Dr John Dayal, secretary general of All India Christian Council (aicc), reported from troubled Kandhamal district that an armed mob prevented the 180 Catholic families of Betticola Parish in Tiyangia village to hold the traditional procession to mark the Palm Sunday. The mob was still at the village, and growing, at the time of reporting. Dr Dayal quoted Betticola Parish Priest Fr Praful Sadhapati as saying when he came to the village at around 10 am to conduct the Palm Sunday Mass, he saw a huge crowd of people carrying arms and shouting slogans asking Christians to leave the area. The mob was also using a loudspeaker to gather more people. Sensing trouble, Fr Praful Sadhapati informed the Catholic clergy in Bhubaneswar Archdiocese, who reported the incident to the police inspector, identified only as Panda. The superintendent of police of Kandhamal was also informed, and the police were expected to arrive at the scene.
RSS role According to local Christians, the crowd was gathered by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), whose leaders had been eying the land on which a Christian grave is built outside the village. “The Christians are apprehending violence, and tensions have gripped the Tiyangia village and surrounding areas,” Dr Dayal said. Asma Jahangir, United Nations Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Religion, was in Kandhamal to take stock of the aftermath of the violence, which began on 24 December 2007 and lasted for more than a week. The series of attacks killed at least six Christians and burned 730 houses and 95 churches. Thousands of displaced Christian victims are in various relief camps set up by the State Government in Orissa. |
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