Centre appeals for communal harmony in Orissa on Christmas

On the eve of Christmas, the Union Home Minister P Chidambaram has appealed to the people of Orissa to maintain peace and harmony among different communities on Christmas as well as the following days.

The Home Minister’s statement came on Wednesday in the wake of a “bandh” called by a number of organisations on Dec 25, demanding the arrest of persons involved in the killing of Swami Lakshmanananda Saraswati.

•   E-mail Article
•   Printer Friendly
•   Text-Size    

This had generated fears among the entire Christian community, including church leaders who had expressed apprehensions about their safety as well as safety of their places of worship.

The newly appointed Home Minister noted: “The situation in Orissa has been engaging the attention of the Centre in the last two weeks.”

He said that the state government has assured that there will be no bandh on Dec 25. Naveen Patnaik government has also persuaded the organisations concerned to withdraw their call for a bandh.

Chidambaram said the Centre has provided today a helicopter to the State Government for patrolling over Kandhamal and Sambalpur districts, and a large number of security personnel to maintain law and order.

Apart from 24 companies of CRPF deployed on a long-term basis in Orissa, the Centre has provided an additional 49 companies of CRPF and four companies of Rapid Action Force (RAF), said Chidambaram and added, “I have offered him further assistance, if deemed necessary.”

Seven persons suspected in the murder of VHP leader Swami Lakshmanananda Saraswati on August 23 have been arrested so far. But Hindus believe the real killers are still at large.

Meanwhile, taking a series of precautionary measures security has been beefed up in riot-hit Kandhamal and all other sensitive areas, including temples, churches and other religious establishments in the state to prevent any untoward incident during Christmas celebrations.