Minorities Commission Flays Karnataka Govt.
BANGALORE, Karnataka, SEPT. 19, 2008, 16.40 Hrs (SAR News):
The National Commission for Minorities (NCM) September 18 criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party government for its failure to contain the violence against Christians and churches in different parts of the state.
NCM chairman Mohammad Shafi Qureshi, who visited areas where Christian prayer halls in various districts were attacked, told reporters here: "Had they (government) been cautious, this (the attacks) could have been avoided. There have been lapses on the part of the government and it's not that the attacks suddenly erupted."
He said there were complaints from certain quarters that the police were hand in glove Bajrang Dal activists, suspected to be behind most of the attacks on churches and desecration of religious statues and articles in the coastal districts.
Bajrang Dal men have been allegedly conducting a well-planned series of attacks on churches and prayer halls in Mangalore, Udupi and Chikmagalur districts in the State since September 14, Sunday.
NCM member Harcharan Singh Josh said there had been a "total failure of government machinery" in handling the cases. Even women, including a 75-year-old nun, were not spared by the attackers who had raided 21 religious places, he said.
Other members of the team included vice-chairman Michael P. Pinto, secretary M.K. Khanna, and a Christian member of the Delhi Minorities Commission.
The team members also held a series of meetings with senior state government officials and took stock of the measures taken to control the situation.
Tuesday, 30 September 2008
Courtesy: http://www.cbcisite.com/cbcinews2411.htm