Kandhmal violence pre-planned: Yechury

{image-sitaram ychuri_05012008.jpg news.oneindia.in}
Bhubaneswar, Jan 4: CPM politbureau member Sitaram Yechury, who was denied access to strife-torn Kandhmal by the Orissa Government, dubbed the communal violence there as ''pre planned''.

''The incidents in Kandhmal was a part of the larger game of the BJP, after Narendra Modi's victory in Gujarat in order to return to Hinduvta in a bid to consolidate the Hindu vote bank,'' Mr Yechury said. Talking to newspersons here, the CPM leader said the Kandhmal situation should not be treated as an isolated case confined to the particular district only, as the RSS and the VHP had been declaring that Orissa would be the next labaratory for Hinduvta after Gujarat.

Mr Yechury stated it appeared that the Kandhmal communal clash was a replica of what had happened in Dang in Gujarat ten years ago and it would send communal signals having implications on the future politics of the country.

The CPM politbureau member said the Chief Minister requested him yesterday not to visit Kandhmal which clearly showed that the situation there was not normal even after ten days of violence, which was dangerous.

''I see no reason why a Parliament member should not be allowed to visit the area if the situation was normal in the district,'' Mr Yechury said, adding his visit to the strife-torn area was aimed at restoring peace and confidence among the people of both the communities.

The CPM leader yesterday said members of the Christian community apprised him of the prevailing situation in Kandhmal where people were still terrified and living in jungle. The ruling BJD, he alleged, was unable to read the larger political game of the BJP to consolidate the Hindu vote bank as it had the political compulsion of being the alliance partner in the government.

Mr Yechury said relief and rehabilitation carried out by the government was not up to the mark and urged the government to involve the non-controversial NGOs in the relief operation while prohibiting the political NGOs entry to the area.The country, he said required a law to handle the relief and rehabilitation during the communal violence.

He demanded that the culprits, who have executed the pre-planned attack, should be booked. The Police and District administrations should have to evoke the confidence among the people as already ten days had passed since the area withnessed a bitter communal clash between the Christians and the tribals.

The CPM leader said there had been a traditional dispute between the Dalits and the tribals in Kandhmal and it was the duty of the state government to resolve the issue through proper dialogue and not by the communal approach.

Mr Yechury favoured the concept of Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims to be treated as Dalits saying that many southern states had identified the Christians and Muslims as Dalits.

To a question, he said the CPM would raise the Kandhmal issue in the next Paritament session as it had been decided that issues concerning the Dalits, tribals and women in any state would be discussed there.

UNI