UK, Australia worried over Orissa, Karnataka violence; speak t

New Delhi, Oct 17 (UNI) Concerned over the incidents of violence against the minority community in Orissa, Karnataka and some other parts of the country, Australia and the United Kingdom today approached the National Commission for Minorities to get a clear picture of the situation and to know what measures the Commission had taken in this regard.

NCM Chairman Mohammad Shafi Qureshi told UNI that U K Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Lord Malloch Brown and Acting High Commissioner of Australia in India David Holly called on him during the day and had a detailed discussion over the issue.

''They wanted to know that why Christians and their places of worship were being targetted when, as per government records, no forcible conversion were taking place,'' Mr Qureshi said.

The NCM chairman told Mr Holly and Lord Malloch Brown that the Commission had sent its teams to both the states and submitted its reports to the Centre. Besides, it had also called for reports from the state governments concerned.

He told the UK and Australian Government representatives that under the India law it is the state governmenst that were responsible for taking action against the culprits. Howewver, the Centre has offerred them all help to deal with the situation.

Mr Qureshi told them that now the most important matter was rehabilitation of the victims.

The issue of communal violence was also raised by the French Government when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had visited France last month.

UNI NAZ SB KN1900