Hindus are tortured in Kandhamal after the murder of Swami Laxmanananda

Hindus are tortured in Kandhamal after the murder of Swami Laxmanananda — Jual Oram

“Hindus in Kandhamal are being tortured by the administration in many ways. They are targeted not to live in peace at their homes. Their families were issued threats by the administration and other communities. Hindus have no roof for shelter and no food to feed their family. Their houses are burnt by the criminals. They are not allowed to earn their bread and butter. Curfew is still imposed there. Police are guarding only the Christian villages. Christians are given special treatment in the shelter houses built by the District Adminstration. This is another instance of minority appeasement and a humiliation for the Hindu community where less than two per cent Christians reside and are involved in several illegal activities. The whole world is crying for the minority community but no one is concerned how hapless the Hindus are at their own land. The Vanvasi people are severely affected and targeted by the missionaries.”

This eyewitness account was given by a high-level delegation of BJP led by Sri Jual Oram, MP and national vice president, which visited Kandhamal district on September 4 to assess the situation after assassination of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati.

When Chief Minister, Governor and State Revenue Minister visited the area after the murder of Swamiji, the people gave their memorandum to them saying that the land grabbing by the missionaries, false Vanvasi caste certificates are the major causes for the ongoing violence. The missionaries also intentionally highlighted this incident out of proportion to get more aids. The delegation was of the opinion that if the concerns of Hindu society were not properly addressed and if the administration continued to help a particular community, then more grave situation may develop in future.

The delegation included Sri Jual Oram, MP, Sri Ananta Nayak, MP, Sri Mohan Majhi, Deputy Chief Whip, Sri Gourahari Nayak, MLA, Smt. Pramila Giri, MLA, Sri Nayan Kishore Mohanty, state general secretary, Smt. Bijaylaxmi Mishra, state president of Mahila Morcha, Smt. Simantini Jena, state seneral secretary, Mahila Morcha, Sri Arun Panda and Sri Gyanadev Beura.

The visit of the delegation began from Bhubaneswar with prior information to the Home Secretary, DGP, SP and Collector of Kandhamal. It first reached Phulbani and discussed the matter with the Collector and SP in the chamber of District Collector. During discussion with the Collector and SP it was revealed that there was a lathicharge at Tikabali during the visit of Revenue Minister and out of which a tense situation was created. Hence it was necessitated to re-clamp the curfew at four places i.e. Phulbani town, Tikabali, K. Nuagaon and Baliguda. In the meantime some BJP workers and general public approached the delegation and explained that there was the severe lathicharge and eight people were hospitalised at Phulbani district hospital. The victims included Kunia Bhukta (serious injured), Simpa Kanhar, Bastigia (serious injured), Gaham Nayak, Purunagarh (serious injured), Ranjani Kanhar, G. Dirgisahi, Urmila Pradhan, Sarita Kanhar, Purnima Bhukta, Gopinath Behuria.

The District Administration citing tense in the area advised the delegation not to visit the area and return back to Bhubaneswar. But, in spite of it the delegation proceeded to the hospital first and saw the injured persons. It shocked to see the old, aged and innocent people. The team also collected information about the persons arrested. It observed that it was a rampant arrest of the innocent people without any fault of them or without any evidence of their crime. Only selectively the workers of VHP, Bajrang Dal and BJP, who were engaged in maintaining peace, were arrested by the District Administration.

The team then proceeded to Chakapad but it was restrained to proceed to Tikabali police station. The District Administration did not allow the team following instruction from higher authorities. “We sat on dharna inside the premises of Tikabali PS. It was night and as lady delegates were also with us, we thought it is better to take rest in Phulbani and continue the tour next day”, Shri Oram said.

The team observed that a particular community was given relief and the police was not giving protection to rest of the society. The public was scared, facing difficulties; particularly the daily labourers without their fault were hungry.

There is no progress in the investigation of Swamiji’s assassination. The dishonest persons from a particular community are taking opportunity out of the announcement of the relief fund assistance by Central and State Governments.