By IANS
New Delhi : Upset over the recent communal clashes and burning of churches in Orissa, over 4,000 Christians gathered in the capital Sunday for a candle light procession and peace rally to demand justice for the victims.
Demanding compensation for those who died or have been injured in the clashes in Orissa’s Kandhamal district, the protesters held a candle light march in central Delhi after which some members went to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s residence to hand over a memorandum.
Madhu Chandra, regional secretary of the All India Christian Council, said they also plan to submit a list of demands to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Monday.
The delegation comprised Archbishop Raphael Cheenath of Cuttack, Orissa, and Father Dominic Emmanuel of Delhi, besides other activists.
“The memorandum states that a compensation of Rs.500,000 be given to the family of those killed in the clashes and Rs.200,000 to those injured. We also demand that the government rebuild the churches and the houses burnt down by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) activists in Orissa,” Chandra told IANS.
They have also demanded that the accused be booked under the SC/ST Atrocities (Prevention) Act, since most of the Christians affected in the clash were from the tribal community.
Among the political leaders who attended the rally were Sitaram Yechury of the Communist Party of India-Marxist and former prime minister V.P. Singh.
Clashes between Hindus and Christians since the Christmas eve in Orissa’s Kandhamal district and in the police action that followed have left five people dead and dozens injured.
“Incidents such as these are a threat to secularism,” Chandra said.