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Communal tension rankles Orissa
Sampad Mahapatra
Wednesday, December 26, 2007, (Kandhmal)
A black Christmas it was in the tribal-dominated Kondhmal district of Orissa. No prayers were held in hundreds of churches following communal tension that beset the area Monday onwards.
One person was killed and 25 others injured with indefinite curfew being clamped in 4 towns including the district headquarters. Churches, convents and some houses belonging to Christians were set ablaze by mobs led by Vishwa Hindu Parishad cadre.
They claimed the violence was in retaliation of an attack on one of their leaders on Monday, allegedly by a group of Christians. The leader who escaped unhurt says the source of the conflict is religious conversion by Christian missionaries.
"They want to convert people to Christianity and convert the country into a Christian land. We are opposed to that and that is the source of all disputes and fights," said Swami Laxmananand, VHP leader.
There were enough indications that Christmas celebrations would be marred.
A week ago, Kui Samaj, a tribal outfit announced its plan to go for a bandh on the 25th and 26th of December. It only needed a minor communal clash in Brahamnigaon village to galvanize the VHP and Bajrang Dal who already seemed ready to strike.
And by Tuesday evening, when additional forces were rushed to the trouble-torn areas, the damage had already been done.
"Additional forces had been sent and the situation as under control," said Naveen Patnaik, Chief Minister, Orissa. But Opposition leaders claim the situation in Kondhmal deteriorated on Christmas day, as the chief minister was busy with arrangements for the rally, meant to mark the10th anniversary of the Biju Janata Dal. And a sudden telecom failure ensured that no reports from the ground reached the state capital.
Unconfirmed reports suggest Hindu militants are preparing to attack churches in areas that have been left unguarded by the police.
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