Rights Activists Denied Permission to Visit Kandhamal?

Rights Activists Ask Orissa Governor to Visit Kandhamal

The Hindu reports:

Bhubaneswar (PTI): Angry over denial of permission to visit Kandhamal, a group of civil rights activists on Monday asked Orissa governor M C Bhandare to recommend a CBI probe into the killing of Laxmanananda Saraswati and communal violence thereafter.

Dubbing Orissa's communal situation as "worse" than that in Guajrat and other parts of the country, they demanded a ban on VHP and Bajrang Dal accusing them of being instrumental in attacking churches and Christians.

During their discussion with Bhandare, the activists said that Sangh Parivar's plan to carry around the 'asthi kalas' of Laxmanananda Saraswati in a procession could lead to further violence.

The team also asked the governor to visit the affected areas and make an independent assessment of the security situation.

They also urged the govenor to involve ngos and civil society organisations in rescue and relief operation.

"If the government can ban SIMI, why not ban VHP and Bajrang Dal", asked Swami Agnivesh adding that CBI probe could reveal the truth behind the killing and subsequent violence across the state.

"Judicial probe is a lengthy process which hardly has any impact", former Mumbai high court judge H Suresh said. Though a retired judge, he felt that judicial inquiry provides delayed justice.