A Maoist Leader claims responsibility and charges the Government with covering up the truth.
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BHUBANESHWAR (AsiaNews) - A Maoist leader has again claimed responsibility for the death of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati, whose assassination unleashed the pogrom against Christians in Orissa.He affirms that the authors of the killing left two letters at the scene of the crime, but the government kept them quiet in order to blame the Christians and allow them to be killed "for electoral purposes."
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The swami, one of the leaders of the radical group VHP (Vishwa Hindu Parishad), was killed last August 23 in his ashram by a group of armed men. The VHP and the other fundamentalist organizations blamed the Christians immediately, although there were suspicions that the killing had been committed by Maoists.
Now the Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda is claiming responsibility for the death of the swami, because he forced tribals to become Hindu. "We ordered the death penalty for him," Panda said from a secret hiding place. He added that the killers left two letters behind, but the authorities concealed the evidence "so that they could get an excuse to attack Christians." Panda also affirms that he sought to release the news that his group was claiming responsibility through the local newspapers, but they refused to publish it.
"After the December 2007 communal violence in Kandhamal, we threatened to kill him if he and his supporters did not refrain from harassing tribals and Dalit Christians to change their religion."
Swami Laxamananda Saraswati and the VHP have for decades accused the Christian Churches of converting tribals and Dalits by force, deception, and the promise of economic benefits. Their anti-Christian campaign has been supported by landowners and merchants, fearful of the emancipation of Dalits and tribals.
The (false) accusations against the Christians unleashed a chain of violence that has so far caused the death of 61 people, the burning of more than 4,000 homes belonging to Christians, the destruction of 181 churches and chapels, and of 13 schools and social centers. Many villages, especially in the district of Kandhamal, are still being targeted. The Hindu radicals are threatening to kill anyone who does not convert back to Hinduism.
According to the Maoist leader, the chief minister of Orissa, Naveen Patnaik, should immediately resign, because he did not defend Christians and their property.
Christian organizations in India are also denouncing the inaction of the government of Orissa, and of the central government. But they are especially asking for the prohibition of radical Hindu groups, accused of being genuine "terrorist organizations." The VHP, the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh), the BD (Bajrang Dal) have the objective of eliminating minorities and all religions other than Hinduism. They find their political expression and protection in the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party), currently in the opposition in the confederation, but in power in Orissa.
Comments
Hindus do not mind their people emracing Budhism since Budhism is accepted as an upshoot of Hinduism having originated in India.But poor tribals being converted to Christianity is strongly resented because the silent poverty is being exploited by the foreigner missionaries.
Adarsh Kumar | 1/16/2009
I...am speechless. Absolutely speechless. To dismember living people, destroy churches and schools in a senseless rage. All in the interest of killing off Christians. This is...madness? No, Evil. And yet, this cold, unfeeling revelation of the government of India in regarding Christianity is so similar to the interest of murdering the unborn in America.
God, thank you for answering my prayer to end plight of Christians in India.
Now let us pray for the end of any further violence to result from this. Let us pray for the souls of those who could commit such meaningless acts of wrath. Their souls are in jeopardy more so than the faithful they have killed.
Wes Lisitza | 10/7/2008
Dear Lisa, I find your comment very nice and to the point. But you have to realize, if at all Christians were to impose their beliefs on others of different religion, India would have been completely Christian by now.
Because Christianity was brought to India by the Apostle St. Thomas (52 AD), hence there is almost 2,000yrs heritage, then till recently (Independence in 1947), India was under the rule of Christian powers (chiefly British, then Portuguese, Dutch, etc) for over 200 years. There was sufficient time and power to have everyone converted to Christianity, if at all that was the intention of the Christians.
Presently Christians constitute only 2% of the total population. Infact there would be more conversions of Christians to Hinduism in other parts of the world, than Hindus to Christianity.
Those who do convert to Christianity, one chief reason is because of the very stringent caste system in India, where the lower caste people are in near slave-like conditions with practically no rights (they're also called untouchables). In most parts of India this outlawed system is still practiced by the upper caste people (who rule by might). When the Christian missionaries begin educating these people of lower caste, they are aware of their rights, which the people of the upper caste view as a threat.
For the information of all readers, I believe that a lot of lower caste people (Dalits) are converting to Buddhism (which is completely different from Hinduism) instead of Christianity for this very reason, to escape from oppression. Infact I believe more Dalits become Buddhists rather than Christians. Hence the next phase/ wave of violence by radical (war mongering) Hindus will be unleashed against the Buddhists. Lets wait and see.
But do not lose hope, but continue to pray, for GOD knows everything and GOD does not make a mistake. We have a very rich heritage of martyrs in our Catholic faith, we should be proud that GOD has found us worthy to suffer and die for HIS name!
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