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Orissa government under pressure

BHUBANESWAR: The Naveen Patnaik government in Orissa came under pressure on Monday, with violence all over the State appearing to go out of control in the wake of the killing of the Swami Lakshmanananda and four others.

Even as the State police maintained that the killing of the Swami was the handiwork of suspected Maoists, the VHP and its allied organisations claimed that militant Christians were responsible.

The Sangh Parivar has demanded a CBI probe into the attack on the ashram of the Swami on Saturday night.

The BJP — a partner in the two party ruling coalition — also felt the heat, with members of the Parivar criticising the State government for its failure in saving the life of the Swami.

The Swami had been spearheading the anti-conversion movement in Kandhamal and other districts for over four decades.

Meanwhile, VHP leader Pravin Togadia came down heavily on the BJD-BJP government, terming it “incapable and ineffective.” He demanded that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik tender a public apology on the issue.

“The judicial probe order by the State government should also probe into the nexus between the church and the extremists elements,” Mr. Togadia said.

Mr. Togadia, who arrived here early in the day, attended the funeral of the Swami at the Chakapada ashram in Kandhamal district.

The Opposition Congress has urged Governor Murlidhar Chandrakant Bhandare to intervene in the whole issue.

In a two-page memorandum, the Congress urged Mr. Bhandare to take necessary measures to prevent communal tension and violence in the State.

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