Kandhamal killings split Orissa Maoists on religious lines

December 30th, 2008 - 11:51 am ICT by IANS - Send to a friend: Berhampur (Orissa), Dec 30 (IANS) The killing of a Hindu leader and his associates that triggered attacks on Christians in Orissa have split the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) on religious lines for the first time, with many Hindu members breaking away to form a rival group.The unexpected development, which have taken many by surprise, came to light when the breakaway faction put up posters threatening to target Christian members of the CPI-Maoist in the state. The new group calls itself “IDGA-Maoist”, which some posters say is the acronym for “Idealize of Democrat Garila (Guerrilla) Army (Maoist)”. According to informed sources, the new group’s formal inauguration will take place Jan 3 at an undisclosed location under the leadership of a guerrilla identified only as M2. The origin of the split is the Aug 23 gunning down of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Swamy Laxmanananda Saraswati and four associates at Jallespata in tribal-dominated Kandhamal district. It sparked off an orgy of violence against Christians, whom the VHP blamed for Saraswati’s killing. About 40 people, mostly poor Christians in rural areas, were killed. While the police blamed the Maoists for the killings, the VHP insisted that Christians were responsible. The CPI-Maoist claimed responsibility for the murder, saying Saraswati was creating a sectarian divide in the impoverished region. The breakaway IDGA’s posters have denounced the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA), the military wing of the CPI-Maoist, and its leader Sabyasachi Panda for the VHP leader’s death. A Maoist sympathiser close to the new faction told IANS that the main reason behind the break-up was the Kandhamal violence, for which he blamed Panda. “Maoists don’t have any religion. Their religion is to safeguard the vulnerable people and fight exploitation and oppression. But those under Panda are acting like a mafia,” he said, requesting anonymity. People familiar with the Maoist movement in the state believe that the split will result in escalation of violence. Sixteen of Orissa’s 30 districts are considered Maoist- dominated. Six southwestern districts - Malkangiri, Koraput, Raygada, Kandhamal, Nayagarh and Gajapati - are the worst hit. The existing Maoist group active in southern Orissa is known as the Bansadhara Divisional Committee. This is expected to face the wrath of the splitters. Nihar Nayak, an expert on Maoists at the Institute of Defence Studies and Analyses in New Delhi, told IANS that if a split has indeed taken place on religious lines, it would mark a first in India’s Left history. “Since the Maoist movement began in India, they have never supported a specific religion or caste or community,” he said. Nayak added that the objective of the splinter group would be “to protect Hindus from Maoist attacks and retaliate by killing Christian leaders” in the state. In its posters, the new group has threatened to kill one Christian on the 23rd of every month — to avenge Saraswati’s murder Aug 23. The new group’s area of influence includes three regions: southcentral Orissa, Ghumsar division in southern Orissa and Bansadhara division which shares a border with Andhra Pradesh. Some police officials here fear the law and order situation in the region might worsen if the new group starts revenge killing, inviting retaliation. “It is certain that violence will escalate and this split is going to be a major headache for the already burdened police force,” a senior officer told IANS requesting anonymity. Deputy Inspector General of Police P. Koche told IANS: “I don’t have any information regarding this new Maoist group.” Sanjeeb Panda, another deputy inspector general of police, added: “We don’t have any official information regarding the split. But I can’t rule out that there has been a split among the Maoists.” source

Sangh Parivar calls off Orissa bandh

BHUBANESWAR: The Sangh Parivar on Friday called off its proposed Orissa bandh on December 25, the Christmas Day. The bandh was called off after a delegation comprising leaders from both the Sangh Parivar and Bharatiya Janata Party met Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at his residence in the evening. The Christian community had expressed apprehension that a Statewide bandh on the Christmas Day would create communal tension in riot-hit Kandhamal district and other areas. CM’s assurance The members of the delegation that met Mr. Patnaik include president of Lakshmanananda Saraswati Shrandhanjali Samiti Ratnakar Chaini, Laxmikant Dash of the Vanvasi Kalyan Samiti, BJP Rajya Sabha MP Chandan Mitra, BJP MP from the State Dharmendra Pradhan, and BJP Orissa unit president Suresh Pujari. According to Mr. Pradhan, the Samiti decided to call off the proposed bandh after Mr. Patnaik assured the delegation that the government would take all possible steps to ensure arrest of all those who were involved in the murder of Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Lakshmanananda Saraswati. more

Orissa bishops ask the Government to rebuild the churches before Christmas

Orissa bishops warn state leader of ‘master plan’ to wipe out Christianity

Archbishop Raphael Cheenath

Orissa, Nov 13, 2008 / 04:54 am (CNA).- Denouncing what they called a “master plan” to wipe out Christianity, the bishops of India’s troubled Orissa region have written a letter to state’s Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik concerning the persecution of Christians at the hands of Hindu extremists.

The bishops challenged characterizations of the anti-Christian attacks as an ethnic conflict:

“Hindu Fundamentalist groups have been trying to name the communal violence as an Ethnic Conflict between the Tribals and the Pano Christians. A cursory look at facts reveals that this conflict is a calculated and pre-planned master plan to wipe out Christianity from Kandhamal district, Orissa, in order to realize the hidden agenda of Sangh Parivar of establishing a Hindu Nation.”

This agenda has allegedly been furthered by concealing the fact that the attack victims were Christians.

The bishops expressed happiness that the Orissa government has decided to establish a Fast Track Court at Kandhamal to expedite the trials of cases related to the violence.  In addition, the bishops requested that the judge of the court should be from a religion other than Hindu or Christian.

Continuing their requests, the bishops asked that the presence of national police in Kandhamal be extended until the parliamentary and assembly elections in Orissa are concluded, citing the State Police’s low numbers and inability to defend themselves.

Finally,  to allow Christmas preparations to begin and spiritual traditions to be observed.

“This will also help confidence building among the congregations and bury the past quietly as they approach Christmas 2008,” their letter concluded.  

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“Sangh Parivar trying to wipe out Christianity’

Special Correspondent, The Hindu

BHUBANESWAR: A delegation of Christian organisations of Orissa met Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday and told him that the Sangh Parivar was “trying to wipe out Christianity from Kandhamal district.”

The team which met Mr. Patnaik at the State Secretariat said “fundamentalist forces were trying to name the communal violence as ethnic conflict between the tribals and Dalit Christians.”

The victims of the attacks were Christians, it said.

The Church representatives, led by Archbishop of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar Raphael Cheenath, said the claim that those leaving the relief camps in Kandhamal were going back to their own villages and settling down in their homes was not true.

Most of the Christian families that had left the relief camps in the riot-hit district had migrated to relief camps in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Berhampur and other places and also settled down in rented houses and in the homes of their relatives and friends, they said in a memorandum submitted to the Chief Minister.

A large number of Christians of Kandhamal had gone to Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Gujarat, they added.

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