Congress delegation denied entry to Kandhamal

Bhubaneswar, Sep 1 (UNI) An eleven- member Congress party delegation led by Orissa Pradesh Congress Committee President Jaydev Jena, was denied entry into the riot-hit Kandhamal district today.

Party Chief Spokesperson Arya Kumar Jnanendra said here the party members were arrested near Madhapur on the Kandhamal border as they tried to enter the district forcibly to assess the situation.

The other members of the delegation included Mr Srikant Jena, Mr Jagannath Patnaik, Mr Umesh Swain, Mr Ramakanta Mishra and Mr Ganeswar Behera.

Violence erupted in Kandhamal and people belonging to a minor community were attacked, some places of worship damaged after VHP leader Swami Laxamananda Saraswati was killed by some unknown assailants on August 23 last.

The state government denied permission to political activists as it was believed that the visit of VIPs and political activists at this point of time would adversely affect the relief distribution and the law and order situation in the district.

Earlier the state government had also advised Union Minister for Home SriPrakash Jaiswal not to visit the district on the same grounds.

The government also denied permission to a four-member Left party parliamentary delegation and a group of social activists led by Swami Agnivesh to visit Kandhamal.

Meanwhile, the government today claimed that the situation in the district was under control and limping back to normalcy.

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