Saturday, December 20, 2008

Christmas bandh called off in Orissa

The bandh call given by the Sangh Parivar in Orissa on Christmas day has been called off. The decision was taken after the leaders of Swami Laxmananand Saraswati Shraddhanjali Samiti met with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik along with BJP leaders.

Earlier, Naveen Patnaik had sent a letter of appeal to the Samiti to withdraw its proposed bandh on December 25 in view of the state government's sincere efforts to nab the killers of Swami Laxmananand as well as the conspirators behind the killings.

Leaders of the Christian community and other organisations have welcomed the decision.

Source: http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080077151

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Christians to Orissa govt: Provide security

BHUBANESWAR: A day after Sangh Parivar called off its Orissa bandh on Christmas Day, Christian leaders on Saturday asked Orissa government not to
withdraw security from churches and institutions across the state because of that.

A delegation of Christian leaders led by Archbishop of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar Raphael Cheenath met Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik urging him to provide security to Christians in other areas besides violence-prone Kandhamal district.

"Christians in other dioceses are also afraid. Security should also be provided to Balasore, Berhampur, Rourkela and Sambalpur dioceses", Cheenath told reporters after meeting the chief minister.

Claiming that a number of "strange" people from outside Kandhamal had entered the district despite extensive frisking exercise on roads, the Archbishop alleged criminals were freely moving in Kotagarh area.

"We apprehend that influx of non-state players into Kandhamal is aimed at creating communal violence", he said adding Christians were leaving relief camps because of fear.

The Christian leaders also drew attention of the chief minister to the proposed three-day Gayatri Aswamedha Yagam to be held in Sambalpur district with participation of a large number of people from December 25.

"This yagam smacks of evil intent", they said in the memorandum.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Orissa_Christians_demand_security/articleshow/3867284.cms

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