Christian delegation acquaints Home Minister on Kandhamal

The concerns of the Christian community in regards to Kandhamal were last week expressed to Home Minister of India, P Chidambaram.

A Catholic delegation led by Archbishop Stanislaus Fernandes, the Secretary General of CBCI, apprised the Home Minister with the current situation in the riot-hit district and called for steps required to bring justice to the victims.

In its report, the delegation condemned the lack of justice due to the "inadequate preparation of the cases by police" and "vitiated atmosphere in the Fast Track Court premises due to strong presence of Sangh Parivar threatening the witnesses".

It criticized the "forceful conversion of Christians returning to the villages" and "general social boycott of Christians" in the aftermath of severe violence.

Further, the Home Minister was urged to check the laxity on the part of the District Administration in providing adequate building materials for the victims.

Last year's violence had apparently destroyed "500 churches, 126 Christian shops and 5,000 homes", according to the World Council of Churches.

Although the government had offered compensation, Christian leaders grieve that many are still to receive funds for the rebuilding of their homes and churches.

The Home Minister, meanwhile, was also presented with a draft copy of the Christian community's observations on the Communal Violence (Prevention, Control & Rehabilitation of Victims) Bill, 2005.

Struggling with recurring violence on its community, Christians expressed the need for the bill to be passed in the Parliament without delay.

The bill, apart from controlling of communal violence and rehabilitation of the victims, aims at preventing future occurrences of violence against minorities.