NCW criticises BSY govt for violence
The National Minorities Commission has pulled up the B S Yeddyurappa-led BJP regime for its failure to contain the series of attacks against churches in coastal Karnataka and other districts.
By ET Bureau |
BANGALORE: The National Minorities Commission has pulled up the B S Yeddyurappa-led BJP regime for its failure to contain the series of attacks against churches in coastal Karnataka and other districts allegedly by Bajrang Dal activities since Sunday and promised to submit a detailed report to the Centre shortly.
While commission chairman Mohammed Shafi Qureshi was more restrained in his comments when he said the government ���should have been more alert and cautious��� in preventing the attacks, its member Harcharan Singh Josh was more forthright while observing that there was ���total failure of government machinery���.
The commission, which visited the violence-torn coastal districts along with is vice-chairman M P Pinto and member-secretary and held discussions with the state home minister Dr V S Acharya, chief secretary Sudhakar Rao, home secretary Upendra Tripathi, DGP Srikumar and other senior officers, disclosed that neither the government nor the police could provide details of any complaints regarding conversions either by force or through inducements as alleged by Bajrang Dal activists.
���We have asked the government to provide details of complaints during the last one year and particularly during the 100 days of BJP rule,��� Mr Josh said and pointed out that the government has been asked to furnish the information within a week, when it could not give any information. ���But the government sought more time and we have asked that the report be provided by the month-end,��� he said.
Taking note of the complaints from Christians against Bajrang Dal activists and the public admission by its state convenor Mahendra Kumar in interviews to different television channels regarding the Dal���s involvement and pronouncements of continuing the attacks, the commission has asked the government to arrest Mahendra Kumar forthwith if the government was ���really serious about assuaging the hurt feelings��� of the minority community.
Commission chairman and other members disclosed that they had not any received specific complaints from the general public as well as nuns and priests regarding the active connivance of the police, with some policemen ���actually leading the attacks from inside church premises���. They said the destruction of idols of Jesus Christ, crucifix and blessed sacrament, considered most holy by Christians, is ���reprehensible���.
On the allegations by Bajrang Dal activists regarding publication of booklets containing derogatory remarks to Hindus or denigrating Hindu gods, the commission said the information provided by the police and government revealed that the offensive literature was published some 20 years ago in Telugu in Hyderabad and translated into Kannada.
But the government was unable to provide any details about who was responsible, and this matter requires detailed investigation by the government instead of blaming any sects, Qureshi said disclosing that the leaders of New Life Christian sect had totally denied their involvement.
The commission chairman and other members disclosed that they had asked the government to immediately withdraw the showcause notices issued to the management of Christian educational institutions for closure in protest against the violence against Christians in Orissa as the protest was ``to express solidarity with the victims and families of those who lost their lives or faced destruction of properties.������
While commission chairman Mohammed Shafi Qureshi was more restrained in his comments when he said the government ���should have been more alert and cautious��� in preventing the attacks, its member Harcharan Singh Josh was more forthright while observing that there was ���total failure of government machinery���.
The commission, which visited the violence-torn coastal districts along with is vice-chairman M P Pinto and member-secretary and held discussions with the state home minister Dr V S Acharya, chief secretary Sudhakar Rao, home secretary Upendra Tripathi, DGP Srikumar and other senior officers, disclosed that neither the government nor the police could provide details of any complaints regarding conversions either by force or through inducements as alleged by Bajrang Dal activists.
���We have asked the government to provide details of complaints during the last one year and particularly during the 100 days of BJP rule,��� Mr Josh said and pointed out that the government has been asked to furnish the information within a week, when it could not give any information. ���But the government sought more time and we have asked that the report be provided by the month-end,��� he said.
Taking note of the complaints from Christians against Bajrang Dal activists and the public admission by its state convenor Mahendra Kumar in interviews to different television channels regarding the Dal���s involvement and pronouncements of continuing the attacks, the commission has asked the government to arrest Mahendra Kumar forthwith if the government was ���really serious about assuaging the hurt feelings��� of the minority community.
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Commission chairman and other members disclosed that they had not any received specific complaints from the general public as well as nuns and priests regarding the active connivance of the police, with some policemen ���actually leading the attacks from inside church premises���. They said the destruction of idols of Jesus Christ, crucifix and blessed sacrament, considered most holy by Christians, is ���reprehensible���.
On the allegations by Bajrang Dal activists regarding publication of booklets containing derogatory remarks to Hindus or denigrating Hindu gods, the commission said the information provided by the police and government revealed that the offensive literature was published some 20 years ago in Telugu in Hyderabad and translated into Kannada.
But the government was unable to provide any details about who was responsible, and this matter requires detailed investigation by the government instead of blaming any sects, Qureshi said disclosing that the leaders of New Life Christian sect had totally denied their involvement.
The commission chairman and other members disclosed that they had asked the government to immediately withdraw the showcause notices issued to the management of Christian educational institutions for closure in protest against the violence against Christians in Orissa as the protest was ``to express solidarity with the victims and families of those who lost their lives or faced destruction of properties.������
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