The stage is set for a confrontation with Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik saying the bandh will not be allowed and Hindutva groups determined to go ahead.
The mood in the Christian community in Orissa is gloomy, not only because of what happened in Kandhmal during Christmas in 2007 and between August and October 2008, but also because of a statewide bandh called by Hindutva groups to protest the state government’s failure in catching the killers of Swami Laxmananand Saraswati.
“There’s a great fear in the minds of the people that anything may happen on that day. The people feel they are not safe to celebrate the feat of the birth of Christ. Besides, people have been coming from outside of Kandhmal and they are going around with arms and ammunition. We don’t know who they are,” said Raphael Cheenath, Archbishop, Bhubaneshwar-Cuttack.
The Union Home Ministry has sent an advisory to the state government to ensure a peaceful Christmas and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has also assured the state assembly that no bandh will be allowed on the Christmas day.
“No bandh will be permitted on December 25, the Christmas day. We should not let violence mar the day,” said Patnaik.
However, the sangh parivaar is defiant.
“We don’t need anybody’s permission for the bandh. Is it enough to arrest five to seven people? Why has the government not been able to apprehend the conspirators behind Swami ji’s killing?” said Gouri Prasad Rath, secretary, VHP, Orissa.
However, the bandh call has little support from the ordinary man.
“We Hindus celebrate our festivals. Likewise Christmas is the biggest festival for them. So what’s the point behind such a move?” said a local resident.
This Christmas will be a testing time for the Orissa government because it has to live up to the promises made by the chief minister to the Christian community and also because the Bharatiya Janata Party, a partner in the government, is unwilling to oppose the bandh.
Source: http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080077035&ch=12/19/2008%203:40:00%20PM
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