Governor slams judicial commission report on church attacks

Bangalore, Feb 6 (PTI) Karnataka Governor H R Bhardwajtoday said he is "disturbed" by the Justice B K SomasekharaCommission report on the church attacks of 2008 in the stateas the entire Christain community thinks that "no justice hasbeen done to them".

Bhardwaj said he has received a synopsis of the report andnot a full copy. "And I am disturbed about it," he toldreporters here.

He was responding to questions on his withholdingBangalore University''s (BU) proposal to confer an honorarydegree on noted Kannada writer M Chidananda Murthy, which hasgenerated a controversy.

Bhardwaj, Chancellor of the universities in the state,justified his decision to "temporarily withhold" the proposal,saying a newspaper report has stated that Murthy, a formerProfessor of Kannada at BU and a historian, endorsed theCommission''s report and also talked about religiousconversions in the State.

The Governor said a decision on clearing his name for anhonorary degree was withheld to "check his antecedents" and"to verify" and ensure that he (Bhardwaj) does not getinvolved in any controversy as Head of the state.

"I have held it (back) temporarily," he said.

Bhardwaj said he is not disputing the fact that Murthymay be a good writer, thinker and scholar. But, ".....atthis critical juncture, when the entire Christian community isupset that no justice has been done to them (in the Commissionreport), at least my duty is to look after them (Christians)".

He said there is a newspaper report stating that Murthyjustified the Commission report and talked about conversions.

"I don''t see any conversion in the State", Bhardwaj said.

Murthy said he was shocked by the Governor''s decision andasserted that he never justified the attacks. He said theGovernor has been misled by somebody to believe that he(Murthy) is pro-RSS and pro-BJP.

"Attacks on places of worship, whether it''s a church ortemple is wrong. The Governor''s decision is not right. He hasto realise it," Murthy reacted.