The Hindu : New Delhi News : Christian leaders meet Ansari over Orissa incidents

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Sunday, Dec 30, 2007
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Christian leaders meet Ansari over Orissa incidents

Staff Reporter

The delegation also includes relatives of the victims

NEW DELHI: A delegation of Christian leaders met Vice-President Mohammad Hamid Ansari here on Saturday and appealed for action by the Central Government to stop the continuing attacks on Orissa Christians. The delegation submitted a list of confirmed attacks and sought Government action to re-establish the rule of law and justice in Orissa.

Those who met the Vice-President included members from various Christian organisations including the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India, the All-India Christian Council, the Evangelical Fellowship of India and the Christian Legal Association.

Situation tense

“We told the Vice-President that in spite of assurances from the Orissa Government and the Union Home Minister, the situation remains very tense, especially for Christians in rural Orissa,” said Abraham Sahu, president of the Delhi chapter of the All-India Christian Council.

“Many tribals or Dalits are not only poor but unaware of their freedom of religion and legal rights under the Constitution,” he added.

The delegation also included relatives of the victims.

‘No medical help’

“Reports from Orissa indicate that sick people aren’t getting medical attention. Many rural Christians have run away from villages into the forests and don’t have enough food,” said Madhu Chandra, regional secretary of the All-India Christian Council.

The delegation also plans to appeal to the National Human Rights Commission of India.

According to a release issued by the All-India Christian Council, the violence in Orissa began when Christians in a village 150 km from the district headquarters of Phulbani began celebrating on Christmas Eve. Some local Hindu fundamentalists opposed the event and a fight ensued.

Also a Hindu religious leader was attacked by unknown assailants – allegedly Christians – near Daringbadi while he was travelling. The next day Vishwa Hindu Parishad called for a strike and its members allegedly began attacking Christians across the State.

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