Laxmanananda assassination: Hindu leaders serve ultimatum

Bhubaneswar, Nov 15 (UNI) Hindu leaders today served an ultimatum to Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to arrest the killers of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati by December 15 or face the consequences.

Speaking at a rally here to pay tribute to the slain VHP leader, they announced to observe ''Orissa Bandh'' on December 25 and paralyse life, if the government failed to nab the killers.

Thousands of people from across the state and outside attended the rally, organised by the Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati Shradhanjali Samiti demanding the immediate arrest of the assailants.

The meeting called for a total ban on conversion, cow slaughter and anti-Hindu activities of the church. The Hindus will take up the arms if churches continued their conversion activities, the speakers warned.

The congregators took a pledge not to allow any conversion in their villages, oppose cow slaughter, prevent the churches to carry out conversions and reconvert those who were converted illegally.

Former MP Ramavilas Vedanti Maharaj alleged that Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Parliament member Radhakant Naik and Cuttack Bhubaneswar Arch Bishop Raefel Cheenath were behind the killing of Swamiji and said ''truth would come out if they were subjected to undergo a narco test.'' He said it was an international conspiracy against Hinduism and appealed to all Hindus to unitedly fight against it. The Maharaj said Sadhus were being framed on false charges to defame them so that the people confidence would be lost on them and the Christians would convert the people to their religion.

He criticised Prime Minister Manamohan Singh and Congress leader Sonia Gandhi for their silence over Swamiji's death.

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