By IRNA,
New Delhi : Upset with the Orissa government’s failure to protect Christians against violence by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) (Hindu Fanatic Organization), community leaders has said New Delhi should deploy armed forces to bring normalcy in the state.
“The state government has failed to a great extent to control the violence by the VHP. The police was not taking any steps to control the mob,” said Babu Joseph, spokesperson of Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI), a day after a VHP sponsored shutdown against the killing of a VHP leader last week saw churches being attacked and at least two people being burnt to death, IANS reported.
“If the state cannot ensure the safety of its citizens, the central government should deploy the armed force there. We cannot allow the anarchy to continue,” he said.
Leaders of the CBCI along with other Christian organizations in the National United Christian Forum are meeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday to seek the central government’s intervention.
Community leaders have already met Home Minister Shivraj Patil and spoken to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L.K. Advani.
At least 14 people are reported dead since the trouble started after VHP leader Laxmanananda Saraswati was killed on Saturday night.
“Christians have been living in Orissa for the last 200 years.
Still they constitute less than two percent of the population.