Church behind Swami Laxmananda's murder- HJS

Bhubaneswar, Oct 6 (UNI) Hindu Jagaran Samukhya (HJS) today alleged that the killing of VHP leader Swami Laxmananda Saraswati was a "pre planned conspiracy executed by the church" and not by the Maoists.

HJS president Ashok Kumar Sahu released a document at a news conference here showing the proceedings of the general body meeting of the Parish council held at the Betikola Catholic Abbey in Kandhmal on May 25 last to prove his allegation.

He said the xerox copies of the proceedings of the meetings were handed over to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on September 9 by VHP International President Ashok Singhal during his visit to Orissa.

The Chief Minister, Mr.Sahu said, had handed over the document to the Director General of Police for further inquiry and offered to part with the original document so that would become part of the prosecution proceedings in the court of law. He also offered to be examined as a prosecution witness in the case.

The HJS president alleged that the resolutions taken at the meeting clearly indicated that the Parish Council wanted to sacrifice the activist who stand opposed to the expansion of the work of the all the abbey circles and decided to execute the decision on August 23,2008.

Swami Laxmananda Saraswati and four of his disciples were assassinated by some unknown assailants on the night of August 23 inside the Jalaspet Ashram in Kandhmal district.

Mr Sahu said a decision was also taken in that meeting to conduct victory celebration in all the Abbey circles of the Parish after successful completion of the task.

He also reacted to the claim by top Maoist leader from orissa Sabyasachi Panda claiming before a selected media that they have carried out the execution of the Swamiji.

"Why the Maoists are so keen to take the responsibility of the killing of Swamiji time and again",Mr.Sahu said and questioned Mr Panda posing before the camera covering his face in a towel.

Mr Sahu said the Maoist leader was trying to create panic among the people by repeatedly stating that they have executed the crime.

If the Maoists are involved in the Swamiji's killing then they would have by now targeted the CRPF who were present in large numbers in the district but till data not a single jawan came under attack from the Maoists, he remarked.

He also criticised Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for describing the Kandhmal issue as national shame. Such type of statement was not expected from the Prime Minister of the country, the HJS President said and remarked that it was rather shame for the country to have Prime Minister like him.

The HJS also came down heavily on the BJD-BJP government in the state for resorting to police repression in a bid to suppress the issues in Kandhmal.

He demanded that Christian leader John Dayal be refrained from participating the National Integration Council meeting convened by the Prime Minister on October 13 to discuss the Orissa issue.

UNI DP PC RN1710