We killed VHP seer: Maoists
'Govt suppressed letters Naxals Left At Murder Scene To Blame Christians.'
By Nageshwar Patnaik, ET Bureau |
Maoists have once again claimed responsibility for the killing of octogenarian VHP leader Swami Laxmananand Saraswati. He was gunned down along with four of his disciples at Jalesapata ashram in Kandhamal district on August 23, sparking off widespread communal violence in Orissa, killing at least 35 people so far.
A top Maoist leader while interacting with a select group of reporters from his hideout in a deep jungle in Orissa on Saturday claimed that he had ordered the killing of the VHP leader. ���We ordered the death penalty for him,��� Sabyasachi Panda, the Maoist leader who is heading the Vamsadhara Dalam of the banned outfit said.
The Maoist leader proved elusive for police for the last three decades and is believed to have masterminded the sensational rebel attacks on Nayagarh police establishments in February last in which 13 policemen were killed.
Mr Panda said his group had left letters at the site of the killing owning responsibility but the Orissa government had suppressed the evidence.
���The state government made it look like Christian groups are responsible for the attack,��� he said. ���The VHP leader was instigating violence against minorities particularly Christians in the area. Hence we decided to eliminate him,��� Mr Panda, also secretary of Orissa state committee of CPI(Maoist) said.
���Hindu organisations such as VHP are targeting minorities particularly Christians , attacking them, killing them and burning their homes. They are playing riot politics. Swami Laxmanand was an important leader of VHP. We ordered his killing��� , he said.
However, VHP on Sunday rejected the Maoist claim, saying the murder of Laxmanand Saraswati did not serve the Maoist agenda.
���Have the Maoists started fighting in the name of God now,��� asked national convenor of VHP Subash Chouhan and added, ���Laxmanand Saraswati opposed conversion.
NCM demands ban on Bajrang Dal
The National Commission for Minorities , which holds the Bajrang Dal responsible for the attack on Christians, has suggested a ban on the outfit, reports Our Political Bureau From New Delhi.
The Commission, in its report submitted to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh a few days back, said the state must keep a close watch on the activities of all such organisations that have contributed to the breakdown of communal harmony there. ���Remedial action, including a ban and prosecution should be initiated.
Communal harmony should be maintained at all costs,��� the commission said. The Commission headed by its chairman Md Shafi Qureshi had visited the areas like Mangalore, Bangalore and Udupi between September 16 and 18 to assess the situation after attacks on Christians and their places of worship.
The report said the district magistrate and the SSP of Udupi district told NCM that all 17 persons arrested in the district for violence belong to Bajrang Dal.
A top Maoist leader while interacting with a select group of reporters from his hideout in a deep jungle in Orissa on Saturday claimed that he had ordered the killing of the VHP leader. ���We ordered the death penalty for him,��� Sabyasachi Panda, the Maoist leader who is heading the Vamsadhara Dalam of the banned outfit said.
The Maoist leader proved elusive for police for the last three decades and is believed to have masterminded the sensational rebel attacks on Nayagarh police establishments in February last in which 13 policemen were killed.
Mr Panda said his group had left letters at the site of the killing owning responsibility but the Orissa government had suppressed the evidence.
���The state government made it look like Christian groups are responsible for the attack,��� he said. ���The VHP leader was instigating violence against minorities particularly Christians in the area. Hence we decided to eliminate him,��� Mr Panda, also secretary of Orissa state committee of CPI(Maoist) said.
���Hindu organisations such as VHP are targeting minorities particularly Christians , attacking them, killing them and burning their homes. They are playing riot politics. Swami Laxmanand was an important leader of VHP. We ordered his killing��� , he said.
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The Maoist leader said, ���Our organisation is giving all supports including arms and man power to minority Christian members at some places in Kandhamal district to put up resistance against attack on them by Hindu fundamentalists��� However, VHP on Sunday rejected the Maoist claim, saying the murder of Laxmanand Saraswati did not serve the Maoist agenda.
���Have the Maoists started fighting in the name of God now,��� asked national convenor of VHP Subash Chouhan and added, ���Laxmanand Saraswati opposed conversion.
NCM demands ban on Bajrang Dal
The National Commission for Minorities , which holds the Bajrang Dal responsible for the attack on Christians, has suggested a ban on the outfit, reports Our Political Bureau From New Delhi.
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The Commission, in its report submitted to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh a few days back, said the state must keep a close watch on the activities of all such organisations that have contributed to the breakdown of communal harmony there. ���Remedial action, including a ban and prosecution should be initiated.
Communal harmony should be maintained at all costs,��� the commission said. The Commission headed by its chairman Md Shafi Qureshi had visited the areas like Mangalore, Bangalore and Udupi between September 16 and 18 to assess the situation after attacks on Christians and their places of worship.
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The report said the district magistrate and the SSP of Udupi district told NCM that all 17 persons arrested in the district for violence belong to Bajrang Dal.
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