Union Cabinet meet today over attacks on Christians

New Delhi, Oct 8 : The Union Cabinet will meet here today to discuss the recent spate of attacks on Christians in Orissa and Karnataka.

The Cabinet is expected to mull over the "growing demand" for the dismissal of the BJD-BJP Government in Orissa in the wake of communal violence in Kandamal district. Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh had recently sought a report on attacks on Christians in Orissa, Karnataka and other states from the Home Ministry.

The role of Bajrang Dal will also come up for discussion. Earlier, the Union Home Ministry had said that the Bajrang Dal activists were allegedly involved in the communal violence in Karnataka.

Special Secretary (Internal Security) in the Home Ministry ML Kumawat had said, "Alleged Bajrang Dal elements were involved in vandalising churches, prayer halls and schools."

In another development, attacks on Christians have now spread to Tamil Nadu. In one of the incidents, miscreants broke statues inside a Christian school in the state's Dharmapuri district. The incident took place inside the 'Our Lady high School' at Mathagondapalli near Thali in Dharmapuri district on Saturday night.

This is described as the fifth attack on church property in Tamil Nadu. It came barely day after a statue of Virgin Mary was damaged at Karavali in Nagercoil city.

The attacks on Christians have left at least 20 people dead and dozens of churches damaged.

Hindus with fundamental leanings have said they are determined to fight Christian missionaries for 'converting' Hindus to Christianity.

Christian missionaries claim that Hindus convert willingly to escape the discrimination of the caste-system.

Violence began in Orissa with the murder of a Hindu leader Laxmanananda Saraswati in August that sparked weeks of deadly clashes, a killing which is also blamed on Maoist rebels. The violence against Christians in Orissa was followed by similar attacks in Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala.

ANI