Commission seeks more time to complete work

Udupi, Nov 29 (UNI) The Judical Commission constituted by the Karnataka government to inquire into the series of attacks on places of worship run by minorities has sought more time to complete the strenuous work.

Retired Judge B K Somashekar, who heads the one-man commission said here that more time was needed to go through the entire gamut of the incidents.

He, however, said that he would file an interim report before the inquiry was fully completed.

The inquiry was ordered by the BJP government in the state after more than 25 places of worship came under attack in different places of the state in September this year. This came in the aftermath of similar attacks in Orissa.

''It is already two months and I have covered only three districts -- Bangalore Rural, Dakshina Kannada and Udupi. The volume of work still left is big,'' Justice Somashekar indicated to reporters after he received affidavits from the people in connection with the attacks here today.

The commission intends to visit other affected districts before commencing the judicial probe.

The commission had received the highest number of 200 affidavits in Mangalore, while in Udupi, it received 74, he said.

The judge visited the two most affected districts during the last three days. So far, the commission had received about 50 affidavits from other affected districts.

He said to enlighten the public about fostering communal harmony, the commission was considering to hold a seminar where the public could express their views and papers from experts presented.

UNI MA RS ROY LS RK2035