Click to play videoBhubaneswar: A prominent Maoist leader on Saturday claimed responsibility for the murder of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) swami Laxmanand Saraswati and four others, which had sparked off large-scale anti-Christian violence in Orissa’s Kandhamal district in August.
Speaking from an undisclosed location, Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda told two Oriya news channels that their outfit decided to kill Saraswati because he was spreading “social unrest”.
VHP, however, has rejected the claim saying Naxals don't have a religious agenda. “Have the Maoists started fighting in the name of God now?” VHP leader Subansh Chauhan said, rejecting Maoists' claim.
Meanwhile, state Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has hit back at the Centre for accusing him of not controlling communal violence in Kandhamal.
The Chief Minister shot off a strongly worded letter to Home Minister Shivraj Patil, reminding the Centre of its own shortcomings in controlling terror. He also attacked the Centre for not doing enough to help the state government in controlling the situation at Kandhamal for the initial few weeks of violence.
“The country is facing serious situations threatening the life and the property of its citizens in various states such as Jammu and Kashmir, the north east and other Naxal-affected states. The terror strikes in the very capital of New Delhi itself. (That) must have put great strain on our resources. It is, therefore, not the time to point fingers at the efforts of the state government," Patnaik said in the letter.
"The Home Minister wrote to yesterday. His letter had many errors and many unjustified points. So I clarified all that,” Patnaik told reporters.
Patnaik also met Orissa Governor M C Bhandare on Saturday evening. After an hour-long meeting, Patnaik apparently felt assured that President’s rule is not likely to be imposed in Orissa.
"I briefed him about the situation in Kandhamal and nothing relating to article 356 was discussed in the meeting,” Patnaik says.
After being on the receiving end for quite some time the Chief Minister of Orissa has finally acted tough on the Centre, but the question remains will he also act tough on communal violence in Kandhamal and bring back peace to the district soon.
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