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Hyderabad rally against communal violence on October 19 |
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Written by Correspondent
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Monday, 13 October 2008 |
 Hyderabad: A mass rally will be taken out by all churches and other organisations in Hyderabad on 19 October 2008 to express their solidarity with the victims of communal violence and also to condemn the attacks on Christians in many States such as Orissa, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The rally will start at 3 pm from Sundarayya Park (Baghlingampally) to Indira Park, culminating in a public meeting.
In Orissa alone, 14 districts have been affected, 330 villages affected and 57 people killed. Other casualties include: 10 Priests/Pastors/Nuns injured; over people 53,000 affected; over 40,000 people hiding in the forests; over 15,000 people in refugee camps; 149 churches attacked; 11 schools and colleges attacked; and over 4640 houses burnt/destroyed.
The organisers’ demands include: a. To legislate a Central Act of "Prevention of Atrocities on Minorities" on the same lines as "Prevention of Atrocities on SC ST Act" with the similar stringent provisions and another to prevent religious and communal riots in the country; b. To immediately sanction an ex-gratia of at least Rs 10 lakh to each of the killed and Rs 2 – 5 lakh to the injured and disabled as per the gravity; c. To immediately sanction funds to rebuild the damaged churches, schools and orphanages and the houses of the victims; d. To ban forthwith the terrorist communal groups; e. To immediately arrest and prosecute through Special Courts, the culprits responsible for the present atrocities on Christians in various States; f. A 24-Hour toll free helpline to the Minorities to call the Police and other Authorities; g. To institute a high level judicial Commissions to inquire into the violence on Christians in Orissa, Karnataka and other States to bring the culprits to book; and h. To rectify GOs 746 and 747 that are being misused for attacking pastors.
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