CPI finds BJP role in Kandhmal communal clash

Bhubaneswar, Jan 15 (UNI) The Orissa unit of the CPI today alleged that the communal clash in Kandhmal district was pre-planned by the BJP and VHP and demanded a CBI inquiry into the incident.

CPI state Secretary Dibakar Nayak, who accompanied a united opposition party delegation to the strife-torn district on January 12 and 13, told newspersons here that the district authority had 'totally surrendered' before the rioters.

Mr Nayak said the district administration did not take any step to the demands of the Kui society who called for a Phulbani bandh on December 25 and 26 to protest the government 'apathy'.

The CPI leader said the BJP, VHP and the Bajarang Dal took advantage of the situation and hatched a conspiracy for a communal violence by setting fire to churches and houses belonging to the Christian communities on the plea that Swami Laxmananda Saraswati was attacked.

Mr Nayak alleged that BJP Kandhmal district president Bhagban Mohanty led the attack but he had not been arrested and was seen moving freely with local officials distributing relief in the camps.

Similarly, another BJP sarpanch Biren Pradhan also attacked a school and damaged all the computers but he was not arrested although an FIR had been lodged against him.

To a question,the CPI state secretary admitted that a section of Christian hardliners had attacked Hindu houses in Brahmanigaon and set them on fire as a retaliation to the attack on their houses.

Some of them, Mr Nayak said, had been arrested by the police.

He alleged that several innocent people, who were not involved in the violence, had been arrested and demanded setting up of an all party committee at the district, block and panchayat levels to advise the district administration to function impartially in the area.

Mr Nayak described as ''most unfortunate'' on the part of a two member delegation of the National Commission of Minority not to visit the affected areas during their visit to Kandhmal for an on-the-spot probe into the violence.

UNI DP PL RN1621