Date:04/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/04/stories/2008100455481000.htm

Front Page

It’s distressing and unpardonable: Congress

Special Correspondent

“Naveen Patnaik not making use of paramilitary forces”

“Chief Minister
well aware of the
two crimes”
His reluctance
to take action is
perplexing: Brinda

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Friday said it was both distressing and unpardonable that acts of violence against Christian minorities in Orissa continued.

Party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said despite the rape of a nun, the State government had not taken action. The Centre had sent ample paramilitary forces but the Naveen Patnaik government was not making use of them, he charged.

Asked whether the Centre could intervene in the State, Mr. Singhvi said, no one should be in doubt about the use of maximum powers if violence was not controlled. The Union Cabinet, he said, was likely to hold a special meeting to discuss the situation.

“Criminal negligence”

R. Ilangovan reports from Namakkal:

Communist Party of India (Marxist) Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat said it was ‘criminal negligence’ for Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik not to initiate action in the case of rape of a nun and the burning of a disabled boy in Kandhamal district.

Ms. Karat told The Hindu that she met Mr. Patnaik on August 29, when he told her that he was “very well aware” of the two crimes and their details. “He assured me of stern action against the perpetrators of the inhuman acts as early as possible.”

She was here to attend the three-day State conference of the Tamil Nadu Tribal Association.

She said the Chief Minister’s reluctance to take action was perplexing. She came to know of these violent incidents when she visited Orissa in August. The Christian community narrated the acts of inhuman violence against the nun and also the painful death of the disabled boy. “I met the brother of the deceased boy, but I could not meet the nun, who had by then left the place. With details I met the Chief Minister and urged him to take action. But he is yet to react.”

She accused the Centre of being ‘soft’ on Sangh Parivar outfits, such as the Bajrang Dal, reportedly behind the crimes.

Packaged food

Expressing opposition to the Centre’s proposal to launch ‘ready-to-eat’ meals for children under its mid day meal scheme, she said packaged food would not improve their nutrition level in children.

It would only usher in private firms in the domain of a social welfare scheme.

She congratulated Union Minister of Health Anbumani Ramadoss for the ban on smoking in public places.

He should show equal interest in solving the vaccine shortage crisis, she added.