VHP demands task force to arrest Swamiji's killers

Bhubaneswar,Aug 31 (UNI) Orissa unit of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) today demanded the government to constitute a special task frorce to arrest the killers of VHP leader Swami Laxamananda Saraswati.

VHP State General Secretary Gouri Prasad Rath here regretted that though the Swamiji, along with four of his disciples were murdered on August 23 in Kandhamal, the killers had not been arrested.

Mr Rath told newspersons here that ''Christian militants'' were behind the murder and Parliament member Radhakanta Naik's role in the conspiracy could not be ruled out.

The VHP leader demanded the government to conduct an impartial inquiry into the incident and arrest the killers as well as the conspirators behind the murder.

Mr Rath said, ''The Christian militants were behind the murder and strongly denied the involvement of any Maoist group as claimed by the government.'' '' Why would the Maoists kill an 84-year-old saint who had dedicated his life for the development of poor tribals?'' he added.

The involvement of the Christians was clear after the arrest of some people related to the church closely, according to him.

He said the Swamiji was attacked by the Christians nine times before he was killed. In December last, he was attacked by a mob of more than 200 Chrisitians.

Stating that religious conversion and cow slaughters were the main reasons behind the Kandhmal violence, the VHP leader demanded the government to strictly implement the anti-conversion act and ban the cow slaughter.

He informed that the ''Christian militants'' were now attacking the Hindus, adding the latter were living in an atmosphere of terror.

More than 25,000 Hindus were affected due to the violence by the ''Christian militants'', he said adding some print and electronic media were dishing out wrong news and spoiling the state's image.

Mr Rath said the BJD-BJP government totally failed in giving protection to the Hindus and accused the government of trying to appease the minority.

The VHP leader also criticised Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for keeping mum over the murder of Swami Laxamananda and describing the violence in the aftermath of the murder as a matter of shame.

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