Uproar in K'taka legislative assembly over Somasekhara report

The legislative assembly of Karnataka on Monday witnessed an uproar over the Justice Somasekhara Commission's report on the 2008 church attacks.

Opposition leader Siddaramaiah demanded that Speaker KG Bopaiah should allow the motion as there was a contradiction between the interim and final reports submitted by the commission in January.

"The Christian community has lost faith in the government. They have petitioned the government not to accept the report. As the interest of a particular religion is involved, the matter should be allowed for discussion," Siddaramaiah said.

While Home Minister R Ashoka and Law Minister S Suresh Kumar argued that the report had not yet been considered by the cabinet, Siddaramaiah responded that the report was already in the public domain.

DNA reported that there was pandemonium in the house as ruling and opposition members began voicing arguments and counter-arguments.

Speaker Bopaiah's remarks that the matter could not be taken up for discussion as it did not come under any rule, prompted Congress and JD(S) members to stage a walk out.

Justice Somasekhara in his report absolved the BJP and Sangh Parivar from the attacks on churches and prayer halls in several parts of the state.

Charging that the Somsekhara Commission had submitted a biased and communal report, Christians have demanded the state government to hand over the inquiry to the CBI.

Last week, former high court judge MF Saldanha released a 304 page report which stated that the attacks against Christians and vandalism of churches were "well planned" and "pre meditated".

The report prepared for the People's Union for Civil Liberties and the Transparency International India held the chief minister and the then home minister responsible for the attacks.