Karnataka - Mangalore   

Another team begins ‘enquiry’

MANGALORE: The Bangalore-based “Citizens for Harmony”, a social organisation, has launched a State-wide enquiry into the attacks on churches and prayer halls and the unrest that followed. It organised a meeting with the victims of the attacks and alleged attackers here on Tuesday. Representatives from various sangh parivar outfits and Christians and their priests attended the meeting.

District chief of the Vishwa Hindu Parishat (VHP) M.B. Puranik expressed his displeasure over several “fact-finding teams” visiting the district. The Central Government and the Congress party were trying to gain political mileage out of these incidents. “These visits are only adding fuel to fire. They are unwarranted,” he said.

“The attacks on prayer halls were a reaction to religious conversions promoted by the church and certain inflammatory literature in ‘Satya Darshini’. We have signed a peace agreement with the Christian establishment,” Mr. Puranik said.

Fr. O’Neil, the official spokesman of the Catholic Diocese of Mangalore, said: “We, the Christians, are living in fear. Even after several teams and commissions visited the district, the attacks have not stopped. The reason for fear among the Christian community is the attitude of the administration. Days after the attacks, the accused are seen roaming around, freely, and spreading their message of hatredness.”

Condemning the comments allegedly made in Satya Darshini, he said that no true Christian would ever author such a book. It was against the value systems that guide the faith. “Find the culprits and punish them. It is not the handiwork of any of our organisations,” he said.

A heated exchange ensued when members of both communities began presenting their side of the story. The Christians alleged that the police displayed bestiality by barging into churches and beating up peaceful protestors. The Hindutva activists counter-alleged that the Christians had provoked the police.

Addressing presspersons after the meeting, Y.R Patil, member of the fact-finding team and former Inspector General of Police, said that the objective of the inquest was to aid the process of justice in the State. “We will submit our findings to the State and Central governments. It is up to them to take cognisance of it,” he said and added that the team would be visiting Udupi and other places in the State.

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