Christmas bandh officially called off

Christians in Orissa can cheerfully celebrate Christmas this year. The state government has officially announced the annulling of the statewide shutdown called by the Sangh Parivar on Dec. 25.

The decision was taken after the leaders of Swami Laxmananand Saraswati Shraddhanjali Samiti met with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik along with BJP leaders.

Of the delegation that met with CM Patnaik include, president of the Samiti, Ratnakar Chaini, Laxmikant Dash of the Vanvasi Kalyan Samiti, BJP Rajya Sabha MP Chandan Mitra, BJP MP from the State Dharmendra Pradhan, and BJP Orissa unit president Suresh Pujari.

Says Mr. Pradhan, the proposed bandh was called off after Mr. Patnaik assured the delegation that the government would do all necessary to ensure arrest of those involved in the murder of VHP leader Swami Laxmananda Saraswati and four of his aides.

Earlier the CM had castigated the bandh call and said, "The government will come down heavily on those who try to create any trouble."

The state government was pressurized and criticized from all sides for its failure in curbing violence on Christian minorities. Despite the international community condemning and Indian Christians meeting with top-notch politicians, our trusted sources say, "the state is still very volatile and barbarous atrocities are perpetrated on Christians."

The National Council of Churches in India, General Secretary, Bishop DK Sahu told Christian Today: "We condemn the bandh on Christmas, when people should celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. It is a well-planned deliberate act to incite violence on indigent Christians."

Church leaders nation-wide denounced the bandh call, some even used their personal and political contacts to ensure Christians in Orissa are no more victimized and unlike 2007 they can peacefully celebrate Christmas.

So far violence since August 23 has forced thousands homeless and at least 300 churches burnt. Church agencies claim that at least a 110 have been killed by Hindu fundamentalists.

Additionally, according to Mr. Patnaik, "an estimated 10,000 people have been named in 746 cases lodged during the August Kandhamal violence."