The killing of 85 year old Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati who, spearheaded the campaign against the religious conversion and cow slaughter in the tribal dominated district of Kandhamal for four decades, has once again sparked communal fires in Orissa. Last December, Kandhamal district, where the swami was based, saw a major communal clash – which lasted nearly a week — after the swami’s vehicle was stopped and he was attacked, allegedly by a Christian mob.Orissa police was quick to blame naxals for the attack but now authorities have said other people besides a left extremist group may have been involved in the attack and investigators would look into all aspects of the case.
Meanwhile, Daily Pioneer reported that police have arrested Pradesh Kumar Das, an employee of the World Vision, a Christian Charity, from Khadagpur while escaping from the district at Buguda. In another drive, two other persons Vikram Digal and William Digal have been arrested from the house of Lal Digal, a local militant Christian, from Nuasahi at Gunjibadi, Nuagaan. They have admitted to having joined a group of 28 other assailants.
Meanwhile, Mgr Raphael Cheenath, archbishop of Cuttack-Bubaneshwar has added fuel to the fire by saying
Hindu nationalism is a cancer on India. The Cross has set deep roots in Orissa and The Church will be the light for generations to come in Orissa.The Vatican condemned the attacks, calling for ‘an end to all bullying’ and a return to dialogue.
"It expresses its solidarity with local churches and the religious orders involved, and condemns these actions, which are an affront to dignity, peoples' freedom, and endanger peaceful civil coexistence,"
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