Union Minister demands CBI probe

As the perpetrators of violence against Christians in Orissa are still at large, the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) on Friday demanded a CBI probe to nail the culprits behind the attacks in the state.

"I am writing to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to get the entire gamut of the communal clashes in Orissa investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation," party chief Ram Vilas Paswan said.

The Union Minister also was feeling vague as to why sincere govt. officials, the District Magistrates (DM) and Superintendents of Police (SP), were transferred from the riot–hit state.

"The BJD–BJP government led by Naveen Patnaik transferred the officers, who were impartial and would have worked hard to stop the communal violence," he said.

Furthermore, Paswan alleged that Christians leaving their villages to take shelter in relief camps were rising and many were not admitted and asked to return to their villages, where they are being threatened to forcefully reconvert to Hinduism.

"Most of the Christians killed in the Orissa violence were Dalits and they were well to do. It appears that the fanatics led by (Bajrang) Dal and VHP attacked them due to jealousy," he said.

Paswan in a letter to the PM demanded a ban on Bajrang Dal and said a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each for family members of the deceased and the injured must be rendered.