Date:13/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/13/stories/2008101354390300.htm

Other States - Orissa

Congress takes out peace rally in Kandhamal

Special Correspondent

The march was led by Pradesh Congress president Jayadev Jena

The rally starts from Mahatma Gandhi statue
Constitution of peace committees mooted

Photo: Lingaraj Panda

Congress activists taking out a peace march to restore peace and harmony in Kandhamal district at Phulbani on Sunday. —

PHULBANI: Main opposition Congress on Sunday organised a peace rally in this district headquarters town of Kandhamal district and appealed to people belonging to all sections of society to restore peace in the region.

More than 2,000 party workers from different parts of Kandhamal and adjoining areas participated in the peace rally, which started from near the Mahatma Gandhi statue.

Holding placards with messages of non-violence and peace written on them, the men and women went round the town seeking restoration of communal harmony.

Pradesh Congress Committee president Jayadev Jena led the peace march. A number of senior leaders of the party including former Railway Minister K. C. Lenka, former Minister Jagannath Patnaik, and former Union Ministers Srikanta Jena and Bhakta Charan Das also participated.

Many leaders and workers of the party’s women and youth wings also participated in the peace march.

State blamed

Meanwhile, former Minister and leader of Samruddha Odisha Panchanan Kanungo blamed the State government for not taking action against those converting Christians into Hinduism in the aftermath of the killing of Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Lakshmanananda Saraswati.

Mr. Kanungo, who participated in peace rallies organsied by different opposition parties in Phulbani during the past two days, also demanded those who had put up flags on damaged churches should also be brought to book, he added.

In a statement, SUCI leader Sambhunath Naik said the situation in Kandhamal was yet to become normal as sporadic incidents of violence were continuing in the interior areas.

Pointing out that situation was not likely to improve in the near future, Mr. Naik suggested that peace committees should be formed at village-level and later similar committees could be constituted in block and district level.In another development, activists of Swami Lakshmanananda Saraswati Shradhanjali Samiti staged a demonstration in Bhubaneswar demanding immediate action against those who allegedly hatched a conspiracy to eliminate the Swami.

3 arrested

The Crime Branch of the State police, who are investigating into the killing of Swami Lakshmanananda, arrested three persons for their alleged involvement in the crime.