Congress urges Orissa Governor to protect minoritry community

Bhubaneswar, Aug 25 (UNI) The Opposition Congress today alleged that the life and property of the minority communities were under threat in the wake of the murder of Swami Laxamananda Sarswati and urged Orissa Governor M C Bhandare to immediately intervene and give protection to them.

In a joint letter to the Governor, Orissa Pradesh Congress president Jayadev Jena, Leader of Opposition J B Patnaik and Deputy leader Narasingha Mishra reiterated their demand to invoke the power conferred under Schedule 5 of the Constitution and restore peace and prevent communal tension and violence.

The senior Congress leaders alleged that the state government was trying to create an atmosphere of communal hatred and arouse Hindu sentiment for petty political gains.

They alleged that though the Orissa bandh called by the VHP and BJP was to start at six this morning but violence was reported in many parts of the state before the bandh was observed.

The Congress leaders said while the state government was suspecting the involvement of the Maoists in the killing of Swamiji, the ruling party members were blaming the Christians for the murder and spreading hatred between Christians and the Hindus.

The curfew was flouted and funeral procession of the Swamiji was allowed in Phulbani while the places of worship, institutions run by minority communities were attacked with the tacit support of the government.

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