Inactive Of The Police And Armed Forces

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02 Nov 2017

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The Police and the armed forces became a mute spectator and took no action against rioters. The central government had provided Rapid Action Force in adequate numbers and even then communal fury could not control as there was no effective cooperation with the local police. [1] The local police was also armed with broad prohibitory powers under the Orissa Police Act, 2003. Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Criminal Penal Code (Prohibiting assembly of more than 5 persons at a place) were indeed promulgated throughout the district on 25th August 2008, and a curfew was in force in the troubled areas thereafter. But surprisingly, this made no difference to the assailants. They looted, burnt, killed and tortured with impunity. The prohibitory orders were evidently not enforced and applied only in name sake. [2] 

It is further evident that though a statewide bandh on 25th August, 2008 was announced by the RSS and VHP and supported by the BJP on the night of 23rd August, 2008 (soon after the Hindu leader was killed), the government did not take adequate measures to prevent communally motivated attacks during the bandh. [3] The day before the bandh, the government suspended Nikhil Kumar Kanodia, the Superintendent of Police at Kandhamal, along with the local police inspector, purportedly for failing to provide security to Lakshmanananda, and did not post any substitute senior police officer. This was done despite anticipating violence the subsequent day, and indicates that the state government only ‘failed’ to prevent violence but also deliberately created a situation where in the communal attacks the following day would be intensified and the damage maximized. [4] 

When the cruelty was in its peak, Sister Mina Lalita Barwa has caught up with the angry mob and raped her. Later they paraded to Nuagaon market where a dozen of Odisha State Armed Police forces were standing. She pleaded them to rescue from the hands of the culprits but the forces did not save her. The mob taken her among the policemen and paraded her further without any resistance from the police forces. [5] 

On the contrary, the attempt of the police force was to discredit that the police handed her over to the mob is not to be found in the statement of the nun recorded by the police. The insinuation was that the allegation is an afterthought. Secondly, the police said that the FIR was registered on the day after the rape. The insinuation was that the complaint was written after consultation with a lawyer. [6] 

Dr. Sangeeta Mishra, One of the examining doctors of the rape victim Sr. Mina Lalita Barwa, told that "for as long as 38 days the police did not bother to collect the report or take any action on it". [7] It was a long delay of justice in the democratic nation like India. Hence, justice delayed is equal to justice denied.

According to Harsh Mander,

"The National Peoples Tribunal, headed by Justice A. P. Jha, was informed that of the 3,232 complaints filed by victims; only 832 were actually registered by the police. Between 75 and 123 people were killed in the violence, yet only 26 murder cases were registered by the police as of February 2010. For instance, Sister Meena was first dissuaded by the police from registering an FIR with regard to the gang rape and sexual assault on her, and when she insisted, she was prevented from writing details of the crime including the complicity of certain police officials. Many spoke to the Tribunal of the failure of the police to arrest perpetrators, despite the fact that the perpetrators were named in the complaints to the police. They also clarified that the police's refusal to take action against the perpetrators was a result of the police actively protecting the perpetrators. They have been harassed through a lodging of false and baseless allegations against them, or threatened that they would be arrested on false charges if they demanded accountability and continued pursuing justice". [8] 

1. 3. 10. Silence of the Media.

The media plays a prominent role to build the nation with unity and integrity. It is one of their responsibilities to find out the real facts and produce before the public with a secular approach. Whenever and wherever the law and order is going wrong they should rise up in the proper time to criticize the ruling community. What happened to the media in Kandhamal and other parts of the Odisha during the violence? Most of the media did not criticize the oppressors. On the other side the mainstream media has projected Kandhamal issue as communal one. They pictured this incident as a conflict between Hindus and Christians on the basis of religion. Such superficial explanations hide many other realities and hidden perspectives. [9] The simple reason is that the leading newspapers are owned and published by politicians who are influential leaders of different political parties. Another reason is that the media houses depend on the middle class mass for their survival. Therefore, often they avoid criticizing the existing mass perception even if they are unscientific, irrational and communal.

Unfortunately the local Media of Odisha closed their eyes towards the existing realities of the time. They were not ready to report the voice and pains of the poor and victimized. They did it for the sake of the rich and powerful class. On the other hand they opened their mouth to publish the words of the Sangh Parivar. For example, the New Indian Express reported like these-

The state government again harped on the Maoist theory a day after the brutal killing of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati. But, is it not too convenient to be true? The left radicals have always stayed clear of religious issues and there has been no precedence of any attack on such grounds. Why would the Maoists, whose armed struggle thrives on the very faith of the local and indigenous populace, target a leader who enjoyed such a support base in a tribal district? This is something that defies logic. While the government has a point behind masquerading the reason, it is about time it came to terms with the rise of Christian militancy in the state. [10] 

A large section of the media refuted the Maoist connection and blamed the Christian community without any credible evidence. During the campaign of barbarity and violence against the minority, the forced conversions conducted by the Sangh Parivar did not find any mention in the media. Even the rape of the nun on 25 August 2008 initially did not find the prominence it deserved. After ‘The Hindu’ reported it in detail on 30 September 2008, the local dailies picked up the thread. The local daily, Samaj, reported that "The Nun’s Rape is a Big Lie" and went on to say, "That the two lady doctors have said the nun is the habit of sexual intercourse". [11] There is no doubt that the media completely ignored the people who were brave to fight for human values and some of them gave their lives for it. If the media would have risen according to the moral standards of the secular approach, the mass violence would have been checked effectively.

1. 3. 11. Silence of the National Parties

The National leading parties like Congress, Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samajwadi Party etc. were not enough to raise voice against the atrocities against the Christian communities in Odisha. Almost all the Christian leaders in the congress party kept a tactic silence which killed many innocent tribals and Dalits Christians in Odisha. On the other hand, the left parties extended their support to the victims without the appeal of them. Mr. Sitaram Yechuri, the Polit Beuro member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), spoke in Bhopal, "I do not practice any religion but I believe that it is my duty to protect the rights of those practice religion". [12] 

1. 4. Consequences of the Attack

The state of Odisha has been observing the tendency of rising uneasiness between Christian minority and Sangh Parivar since the last two decades. The ideological and cultural differences lead in a physical and literal violence against the Christian sects. The latest and dreadful violence started in Odisha, just after the assassination of Swami Lakshmanananda Saraswati at his Jaleshpet Ashram, on 23rd August, 2008. The brutal attacks which continued for more than three months in Kandhamal itself gave a deep wound in the life set up by the people.

1. 4. 1. Merciless Killings

Thousands of Dalits and Tribals belonging to the Christian minorities in the Kandhamal region of Odisha were victims of organized violence started in August 2008. According to government figures during the last bout of violence from August to December 2008 around 38 people were murdered. [13] The All India Christian Council (AICC) claim that they have reliable reports of 118 murdered Christians. Names, locations and more details are available for 91; the remaining 27 are confirmed by reliable sources but bodies have not identified. However, a senior government official on the condition of anonymity informed that he himself consigned two hundred dead bodies found from the jungle in flames after getting them collected in a tractor. [14] As per his estimates based on the intensity and pace of killings the number of those killed is over five hundred, including Pastors, leaders, believers of women, disabled, aged persons and children. The cruelty involved in the violence is beyond the imagination.

1. 4. 2. Destruction of Houses

Houses are one of the basic needs of human beings irrespective of color, language, race, region etc. Houses, whether they are small or big giving shelter and security to the people. The fanatics in Kandhamal tried to destroy the houses of the Dalits and Adivasi Christians out of their hostile mentality. According to government figures during the last bout of violence from August to December 2008, in the Kandhamal district alone more than 600 villages were ransacked, 5600 houses were looted and burnt, 54000 people were left homeless. [15] 

1. 4. 3. Demolition of Worshiping Centers

Demolition of worshiping centers is one of the strategies of religious violence. The hate campaign and aggression on other religion always accompanies the destruction of the worshiping places of the weaker community. Around 295 Churches and other places of worship, big and small, were destroyed in connection with the recent attacks that happened in Kandhamal. [16] The target of attack, punishing and correcting, of the Hindutva forces was those adivasis and dalits who had become Christians generations ago and thus have come of age not only within the Church organizations but also the larger society as expressed in their free and increased participation and leadership in the secular civic and collective life of the region; and the church infrastructure around with these dalit- adivasis were rallying around too were attacked. [17] 

1. 4. 4. Destruction of the Education Centers

Education centers which were working in remote areas especially for the dalits and tribals being attacked and destroyed by the rioters. It is reported that there are 13 educational institutions were totally demolished. But the education centers in the cities and for the upper class societies were spared.

1. 4. 5. Robbing and Looting.

The violence that took place in Kandhamal was well planned. Robbing and looting the valuables of those who seem to have done well in life through their association with Christianity was one of the important objectives of the mob-terrorism in Kandhamal. According to the victim-witness, generally only the immovable were destroyed; the movables, particularly the valuables, were carefully carried away in appropriate transportation-trucks and autos- provided by the traders and to be shared among the villagers. Incidentally, it is again the trading community, which provided the mob with the enormous amount of the required incendiary materials. [18] 

The Christian communities in the violence hit districts are more vulnerable to attacks by trained goons of the Sangh Parivar, imparted to the state from different parts of India. The economic backbone of the affected people has become severe to bear with, as their sources of lively hood have been targeted knowingly and damaged permanently. [19] 

1. 4. 6. Brutality against Women

The violent attacks carried out by Hindutva activists did not exclude women. They were the soft targets. It is reported that Rajani Majhi, who was burnt alive by a mob at Padampur in Bargarh district on August 25, had been gang raped before being killed. Twenty year old Rajani was a student of Padampur Women’s College and worked at the orphanage in which she lived to pay for her tuition. [20] 

Rapes are considered as one of the weapons among the communal violence. It is most painfully exhibited in the cruelty against women and a common phenomenon in all communal riots. But the way in which rape was used in Gujarat and Odisha as a weapon of terror and revenge had not occurred before. [21] Numbers of women were tortured by communally charged mobs. There were reports of four women being raped including one nun in Nuagaon village, Kandhamal. Many more victims of sexual assault are believed to have been intimidated into silence. [22] They use rape in order to intimidate the situation and made it as a warning to other women. Even three years after the Kandhamal event, many women are threatened by the culprits through these means. The riot victims are afraid to return their own land because of this worse condition.

1. 4. 7. Physical Abuse of the Pastors and leaders.

Pastors and leaders of the minority Christians faced a difficult situation during the violence. There were 7 priests/pastors being killed by the violent mob and around 10 priests/pastors/nuns severely harassed and injured. [23] The Christian leaders were terribly haunted by the Sangh Parivar. The office of the Arch Bishop, Raphael Cheenath, was attacked by the Hindutvawadis at Bhubaneswar. Bishop was escaped due to the heavy security of the police personnels deployed by the state government.

1. 4. 8. Disconnection of Transport and Communication.

The atrocities against the Christians were very systematic. First they would cut down huge trees to block the roads and thereby block the entry of police and then targeted the Christians. [24] They have also destroyed telephone connections by demolishing its towers. This hindered the smooth travelling of the coercive forces like CRPF to the sensitive centers. At the same time they used to prevent the Christian groups who were trying to escape from the melting pot.

1. 4. 9. Loss of Land.

Most of the Christians lost their land after the violence. Those who were engaged in agriculture have been forcibly displaced from their villages due to the violence. According to Mr. Simon Nayak [25] , Raikala, G. Udayagiri block, "The district collector, Mr. Kishan Kumar, assured during the peace committee that ‘the people holding a land more that 70 years can retain it, otherwise give back’. But later he distributed the Pass Book (Patta) to all others except the Christians. Now, no Christians have Patta land for cultivation in our area. All the common land also occupied by the ST people. While distributing the common land, no Christians were called to attend". [26] The government authorities are also not concerned about these issues. The promoters of the violence wanted to keep the victims in a permanent state of absolute poverty denying one of the prime basic elements of their identity, the land.

1. 4. 10. Loss of Jobs.

The victims of the Kandhamal violence were placed into refugee camps for a long time. Some of them spent more than one and half years with fear and insecurity, lived with the bare minimum. The people who had been away for a long time and unable to come back out of great terror lost their jobs. They were not even to submit their leave letters in their absence.

1. 4. 11. Mass Displacement.

Large scale of displacement of populations has been a common consequence in almost all communal incidents in recent times. Most of the Christians have migrated to relief camps in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Jhania, Berhampur and also settled down in rented houses and in the homes of relatives, friends, acquaintances etc. it is estimated that 10, 000 to 15, 000 Christians of Kandhamal district are living outside the district. A large number of Christians of Kandhamal have gone to Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Gujarat. They are told to become Hindus or leave the village, the district or even state. Those who have entered their own village and houses are forcibly converted to Hinduism; they are forced to accept Hindu Samskaras under oath and under pain of divine punishment. [27] 

1. 4. 12. Mental Trauma.

The 2008 riots were sudden and violent and took place in full view of the Children, so many of them ended up being used by police testify in court. This event put all these children in an extremely vulnerable position, even putting their lives in danger. Due to the heavy violence that fall upon the people caused deep wounds in their minds rather than the body. Women and children had witnessed a number of malicious incidents with their eyes which disturbed them later days. They lost sleep at nights, loss of confidence and courage. They experienced a kind of disappointment in their lives. Some of the victims interacted with the researcher that they do not want to build better houses, purchase furniture, vehicles, Television sets and valuable things for their needs. They expect another attack at any time in the recent future unless the government and the judiciary may fail to take appropriate steps to check the fury of the Sangh outfits.

There are many testimonies about the mental trauma that affected the lives adversely. Prasanth Kumar Nayak, from Bodimunda village was a rich farmer, contractor and a Christian leader got mental disorder. He lost his houses, land and properties which brought heavy loss in the economic areas. He became paralyzed and later died due to this sudden upheaval. [28] It is very obvious that there are un estimated number of people suffered severe physical injuries and mental trauma.

1. 4. 13. Darker Future for the Children.

Children are the promise and hope of each and every nation. If they are nurtured and trained according to the vision of the nation, the future of the land will be safe in their hands; Otherwise the security of the country will be questioned. The children in Kandhamal are one of the worst affected group due to the communal violence.

Children became the prey of communal carnage that happened in Kandhamal, Odisha. In the last bout of violence during August- December 2008, in the Kandhamal district alone, more than 10,000 children had their right to education snatched away because of displacement, fear and severe disruption. [29] Many of the Kandhamal’s children, who were in secondary school during the violence, had to take an involuntary break from education. Many others have still not gone back to school. Santoshini Nayak from Pirigoda village is the best example of such incident. She was continuing tenth standard when the violence broke out. She was shifted to a relief camp along with her parents; while staying there, she came to know the date of filling up forms for the board examinations a little late. But when she went to school to submit her forms, the headmaster refused to accept them as the last date was over. She was also verbally abused and told to shift to a missionary school. Then her parents tried to get her transfer certificate but ever after running from pillar to post, she did not get it in time. She finally sat for her finals the next academic year through a correspondence course. [30] 

After the attacks, many parents, concerned about the safety of their children, put them in residential schools run by missionaries in Kandhamal as well as other areas in the state and some were even sent outside the state. Some children found it difficult to continue in their old school out of fear or due to "ill treatment" by school authorities and even classmates. [31] Above all, some good margin of Teen agers who were continuing their studies before the riots dropped due to various reasons. Some of them are working as wage earners for supporting their family members.

1. 4. 14. Forcible Reconversions.

As thousands of people-men, women, the old and the young-anxiously awaited in the jungles for long days without proper foods or no foods, shelter during the pogrom. The rampaging brigade put their conditions upon them: Return to ‘Hinduism’ or get killed or perish in the jungles". Fr. Manoj Nayak, of the Diocese of Bhubaneswar recollects another story of humiliation. His elderly father was threatened with an axe placed at his throat and forced to convert to Hinduism. He has been working as one of the postmasters of the district, a respected educated person; and also a catechist of the diocese for the past 30 years. On Thursday, 27th August 2008, a mob came to Tiangia village, unleashed their fury and specifically targeted Fr. Manoj’s dad, Anaklet Nayak. He was caught up and forced to reconvert. [32] 

Some of the people whom they could catch were shaven, applied sindhur, made to tear up Bibles and bow before the Hindu deities. Those who were not ready for re-conversion, lost their land and property forever. There were many people who denied entry into their native place. Forty Christian families from Betikala, Kutulumba, Kilakia, Gimangia, and Rotingia had given up their land and properties for the sake of their faith. [33] Odisha government provided a small settlement at Nandagiri (Shanti Nagar), at the G. Udayagiri block. During this period about 2, 000 people belonging to Christian communities were forced to repudiate their faith. According the Indian Express Report dated 31 august, 2008- "After days of violence, Kandhamal continues to be the battleground of re-conversions". "Over a hundred Christians have been converted to Hinduism", said Satyabarat Sahoo, the Revenue Divisional Commissioner of the area. Similarly Sajan K. George, National president of the Global Council of the Indian Christians said in Bhubaneswar, "We have proof that Christians are being forcibly converted to Hinduism in Kandhamal. We have brought to the notice of the authorities. The Police and the State government are not doing anything to protect them. [34] 

1. 4. 15. Spread of the Violence beyond the state boundaries.

The violence which hit in August 2008 made strong waves to all over Odisha and beyond. The statewide declaration of the bandh by BJP, VHP and Bajrang Dal caused a deep impact upon the political and religious spheres. The death of Swami Lakshmanananda resulted heavy blow to the ongoing communal tensions. "VHP international secretary Praveen Togadia, trained to be an oncologist but who like nothing better than to drive non-Hindus out of India, reached Kandhamal for Saraswati’s last rite. Togadia said that, "Christians are behind the killing of the swami and that conversion was the root cause of the unrest in the district". [35] The followers of the Sangh Parivar discovered an opponent is to be beaten for the above cause. The Togadia’s statement was enough to trigger a murderous assault on Christians in Kandhamal and elsewhere in Odisha and beyond. Hundreds of Christian houses were set ablaze, a few pastors were slain, and warnings were issued asking them to return home as Hindus or never. [36] "A similar phenomenon was observed in Gujarat carnage 2000, after the burning of a Sabarmati Express coach at Godra; then Chief Minister Narendra Modi had announced that it had been done by local Muslims. There was no need to wait for any proper investigation, no need to follow the norm of the railway board that every such event must be investigated, but tirade was launched with full vigor, and a split in the society along religious lines was brought in ensuring BJP comes back to Power." [37] 

The 2008 wave of attacks against Christians in Karnataka includes attacks directed against Christian churches and prayer halls in Karnataka by the Bajrang Dal, with the ruling BJP government accused of involvement. The violence started from 14 September 2008 when about 20 churches were vandalized in Mangalore, Udupi, Chikkamagaluru, and in other districts of Karnataka. Several women, including nuns were injured, churches and prayer halls were vandalized. The continuing distribution of literature depicting Hindu gods in a vulgar fashion by the New Light Church, ignited the retaliation. [38] On September 15, three churches including two of the oldest churches in India were vandalized in Kerala. A Catholic priest, Fr. Samuel Francis, the founder director of Samarpanalaya Ashram, along with an ashram resident was murdered by unknown assassins in Uttar Pradesh. One Cathedral was set on fire in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. A pastor was attacked by a mob in Andhra Pradesh are some of the examples of this violence. [39] 

1. 4. 16. Intervention of the National and International Bodies.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy directly interacted the issue of atrocities against the Christians in India to Prime Minister Man Mohan Singh when he visited France in connection with the Nuclear deal which made a serious step towards the persecution. His questioning of the Indian Prime Minister as to what steps New Delhi had been taken to protect Christians in India no doubt was an acute political embarrassment to Manmohan Singh, who routinely touts India as a shining secular democracy surrounded by communal governments in South Asia. [40] 

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has urged President Bush to raise concerns about religious freedom in India with Prime Minister Man Mohan Singh during their September 25th meeting at Washington. The letter requested Bush to ask Man Mohan Singh to ensure the immediate security that is undermined by recurrent attacks on religious minorities and communities. [41] 

Vatican City On Wednesday, August 27, 2008, Pope Benedict XVI condemned the violence and expressed solidarity with the priests, nuns, and laypeople being victimized. He "firmly condemned" the violence and called upon Indian religious and civil authorities "to work together to restore peaceful coexistence and harmony between the different religious communities." In doing so he said: "I learnt with great sorrow the information concerning the violence against the Christian community in Odisha which broke out after the reprehensible assassination of the Hindu leader, Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati. [42] 

In the U. K. The house of Lords, Lord Harries, former Bishop of Oxford urged the Indian government to prosecute those responsible for the attacks. Graham Dow, the Bishop of Carlisle added that anti-conversion laws in seven states have entailed threats of fines and imprisonment for clerics if they baptize dalit people. [43] 

The Nature of Violence in Odisha

Category

Destruction of Houses

Lose of Properties

Lose of Life

Peasants

5

3

Employees

17

6

1

Activists

21

6

1

Students

6

4

The state of Odisha has been witnessing violence against the religious minorities especially christians since the early period of Ninetees. The churches were attacked and ransacked many places in the state. Christian communities lost their houses and properties during these violence. Few of them lost their lives. The investigation shows that the violence was severe in the Kandhamal district. Among Forty Nine people out of Seventy lost their houses and Nineteen lost their properties. Two among them lost their family members.

.

1. 5. Uniqueness of the attacks in Kandhamal

Odisha witnessed number of religious tensions for a long time. The riots occurred among the Hindus and Muslims in Rourkala in 1964-65 had one among them which lasted only for three days. But in Kandhamal the mass violence upon the Christians continued more than three months. [44] 

The communal disharmony arose even before Indian Independence in 1947 on the aforementioned issue of religious conversion. Conversions have been legislated by the provisions of the Freedom of Religion Acts (acts replicated in numerous other parts through India).

On 23rd January, 1999 Dr. Graham Staines and his two children, Timothy (aged 9) and Philip (aged 7), were brutally burnt alive at Manoharpur in the Keonjahar District of Odisha while they were sleeping in their station wagon. Dr. Staines and Mrs. Gladys Staines were Australian missionaries serving among leprosy patients. He was running the Evangelical Missionary Society of Mayurbhanj, in Odisha. [45] Staines had left the comforts of first world life to serve for 40 years the lepers of this obscure village in India. As far Staines, he had been a doctor, not a priest, and could not have baptized anyone even if he had wanted to. A delegation of religious leaders of various communities that went to Manoharpur found that there was not a single Christian among the 80 inmates of Staines leprosarium. [46] 

After the sensational Staines’ murder, Fr. Arul Doss was attacked and killed with bows and arrows by fanatics on September 2, 1999 in Mayurbhanj district of Odisha. It is believed that the same person who masterminded the killing of the Staines family did the murder of Fr. Arul Doss. [47] 

There is an outbreak of violence started on 24 December 2007 at Bamunigam village of Kandhamal District. Some Hindu activists forcefully removed a Christmas decoration, put up on a site traditionally used by Hindus during Durga Puja. [48] 

In August 2008, Swami Lakshmanananda, a Hindu monk and spiritual leader, was attacked and killed. The violence that followed resulted in the death of one Christian and two Hindus. The violence later spread to 300 villages in 14 of the 30 districts in the state, resulting in 4,400 burnt houses and 50,000 homeless. Fifty-nine people were killed, while 18,000 were injured. [49] It was measured as the greatest attack against the Christians in India. And considered as the organized and systematic pogrom ever the Indian continent has seen.

There were many bits of violence towards individuals as well as a small community. The previous ones indicate the unrest of the Hindu fanatics over the Christian minority who interacts with Adivasis and Dalits, especially the unwanted sections for long centuries. Staines were killed due to the allegation of conversion while he was working with leprosarium. Leprosy people are one of the outcasts even the modern world. Only few people would dare to take their life as a risk and set apart a mission for such people. It indicates that Sangh Parivar affiliates dislike the volunteers committed to serving the wretched and poor.

The Kandhamal incident gave a deep wound in the secular fabric of the nation. Survival of the Christian minorities questioned and a sense of horror and terror appeared in the face of the all around India and abroad. Most of the intellectuals and the secular parties condemned the violence without any ideological differences.

The Christian community has never faced a strong fury from Hinduism till its 2000 years of peaceful infiltration with another culture. But the Kandhamal, Odisha, event is the second largest mass violence against Christians after the Gujarat episode which took place in1999. On the contrary Muslim community had been facing a frequently clash with the big brother, Hinduism. They were labeled many occasions as anti-national, violent, conservative, sticking to separate laws for themselves, and also they are terrorists, as demonstrated by the act of Al Qaeda; Bin Laden and more. [50] Hindutva added that, Muslims were responsible for partition of India, and more loyal to Pakistan. The rulers of Muslims destroyed the temples of Hindus, and they spread Islam on the strength of the sword, that they tortured the Hindus, that they are polygamous and do not follow the family planning norm. [51] 

The RSS and its allies see that Christians are other obstacles on the way to cultural nationalism. As a result, they started to demonize the Christian sects also. The attack on this community has been preceded and is being accompanied by a sustained campaign to malign them. Christianity is a foreign religion, Christian missionaries are indulging in forcible conversions, they are instrumental for spreading insurgency among the North Eastern people, there is a plan to evangelize the country and shortly Christians will outnumber the Hindus by making India a Christian state. They accuse that Christian educational institutions and hospitals are a mere ploy to convert the poor Hindus. [52] Thus the Odisha chapter of violence brought the picture as Christians are anti-nationals and evil of the society.

The Kandhamal turmoil created an international attention and criticism in the country. The demolition of Babri Masjid, Gruesome killings of Graham Staines and his two sons and later the massacre in Kandhamal caused severe denigration from outside the country. Even the European Union, United Nations Assembly, Universal Declaration of Human Rights sturdily condemned the heinous act against the humanity.

Conclusion

The state of Odisha is a melting pot of India. Frequents violence shattered the integrity and solidarity of the land. Odisha boards around sixty two tribal and Ninenty four dalits communities. For many centuries they lived together without having much tension. The post- independence religio-political background brought tremendous changes in the state of Odisha.

Kandhamal, One of thirty districts in Odisha, becomes the focal point of the Nation. Hinduism is considered as one of the ancient religions of this state. The presence of Christianity has been visible even since Sixteenth Century onwards. The Protestants were strong from the 19th century. The conflicts along religious lines took place only in the 1980’s. It is believed that the mission and teachings of Lakshmanananda motivated many occasions to lead communal tensions in many parts of Odisha, especially Kandhamal. The rise in the religious population of any faith or religious group does not by itself lead to communal conflict. Had it been so, the districts of Gajapati and Sundergarh would have witnessed earlier because the Christian population is much higher than Kandhamal in terms of numbers.

The issue of violence is associated with the Hinduva icon, Swami Lakshmanananda Saraswati. The atrocities in December 2007 were associated with the rumour that Swami was attacked by the Christians. By hearing the story, Sangh outfits started mass violence against the Christian community.

The immediate and sudden violence broke out in August 2008 was due to the killing of Lakshmanananda. Hindutva fold rejected the story of Maoists intervention but attacked Christians without much explanation. The violence was so methodical and organized that the so called "spontaneity" is nothing but a lie. Before the attacks, a meeting of the perpetrators was held in nearby schools or anganwadi centers and the violence was carried out as planned.

The absolute indifference of the government of Odisha towards the removal of abject poverty in Kandhamal, has left the field open to various vested interests to manipulate the situation to their advantage. It is the duty of the government to give education, health care to the people of the land. Though both the Christian mission organizations and the Hindu fundamentalist claim that they are working for the poor, neither of them really ever addressed the question of land and forests, which are primarily for the life and livelihood of people.

Aggressive capitalism characteristically paves the way for conservative forces and the ruling class gives them a free hand. As Odisha is on the brink of ‘modernization" with the ushering of mega mining projects and entry of multinationals, the leading party in power turned a blind eye towards the events in Kandhamal as its coalition partner called the shots. Looking back, we have seen too closely in the last many years the hand-in-glove nature of the rise of Hindu right wing and the agenda of aggressive neo-liberalism. The resistance of the people through the way of naxalism is not advisable. It is true that all the protesters are not Naxalites but there is a growing trend to label them all as Naxalites. It is also not recommendable.

Hindutva affiliates are making a space in the ongoing clashes in the land of Odisha and they want to portray Christians are the leading enemy of the nation instead of hiding real issue of mass displacement of the adivasis and Dalits in the name of development. The Justice based on democratic ideology must need to solve the crisis of the hour.

***** End****

Chapter 2:- Context of Neo-Liberalism and Hindutva Agenda.

Introduction

Indian society now stands at a crossroad, looking a fractured mirror image of its future, with the polarization of diametrically opposite worldviews. Neo-Liberalism is breaking through all lifestyles crushing down the traditions and human values. Eradication of Poverty and promoting development for all strata of the society is their slogan. The big multinational corporations are venturing into our Industrial sectors and occupying land and resources for their benefits.

The gulf between rich and poor are increasing even though India is producing few world-class millionaires. On the other hand, terrible displacements are visible in the mining and other industrial sectors of India. Members of the have not’s are increasing day by day. The rate of unemployment increases, the frustrated youths fell in the hands of non-progressive elements. Hindutva accuses the secular approach of Indian Nationalism and brings Hindu Nationalism through their Hindutva politics. The hate campaign against minorities make disturbance in the society. The Sangh Parivar does not focus development for all society without considering caste and religion but favors to the elite upper class community at the cause of the majority-unprivileged masses. They wanted to play with religion based communal card and close their eyes to the exploitation of the neo-colonial powers.

The central and state governments in India are happy with the marriage proposal, New Economic Policy, with multinational companies. The state of Odisha signed many Memorandum of Understandings with these companies and provides space and times for their establishments, forgetting the interests of the Tribals and Dalits. Hence, the Maoists and Naxalites groups enter the society as the custodian of the poor and oppressed. They are becoming the voice of the voiceless. The researcher tries to analyze the role of the State, Sangh Parivar and Maoists in connection to the violence occurred in Odisha.

2. 1. State and Neoliberal Policies

2. 1. 1. Role of Neo-Liberalism

Since the 1990's activists use the word 'neo-liberalism' for global market-liberalism ('capitalism') and for free-trade policies. In this sense, it is widely used in South America. 'Neo-liberalism' is often used interchangeably with 'globalization'. Neo-liberalism is not just economics: it is a social and moral philosophy, in some aspects qualitatively different from liberalism.

Globalization refers to a social process in which barriers between the territories of nation-states removes in and through economic exchanges, political homogenization, technological advances and cultural influences. [53] It has different facts and has already begun to affect many aspects of life and lifestyle especially in urban India. The main entry points of globalization are economic and cultural. It is also a war on people and poor nations imposed by a small group of powerful and rich nations of the world. [54] The intent and content of globalization is the creation of a monoculture. It involves a process of codification of Capitalism. It is born out of the suppression of National cultures in favor of a global capitalist economic system. [55] 

The causes and forces behind the process of globalization and liberalization are (1) The breakup of the communist countries and the end of the bio-polar world gave a new ascendancy to the capitalist counties of the West to pursue the politics. The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund have introduced major changes in the economics of the developing countries through structural adjustment programs, the core of which is encouragement to these countries to allow their economics to merge with those of the outside world. The progress in science and technology, particularly the revolution in communications, have made it possible for people to come into close and rapid contact with each other, for funds to flow across most borders at a moment’s notice, and for investment houses established in different parts of the world to maintain contacts to their head offices. [56] Market plays pivotal role in a globalized economy where money flows freely, resources and skilled laborers move without much barrier. The multinational companies in the first world can invest their technology, finance to every nook and corner of the world in the name of development.

Three international agencies are active in the field of globalization- the World Bank (WB), the International Monetary fund (IMF) and the World Trade Organization (WTO). Of these, the first two had been a familiar sight since the conference at Bretton Woods in 1944. The last one, the most important from the point of view of globalization, is of recent origin, and came into being at the beginning of 1995. [57] Each of three agencies flow the same economic philosophy of the market, and the first two have played a major role in their advocacy of the third.

2. 1. 2. New Economic Policy of India

In 1980’s almost all the third world countries dealt with a debt crisis. In the early 1980’s International Monetary Fund (IMF) focused stabilization program on a narrow range of policies aimed at reducing account deficits. As the debt crisis deepened and it became obvious that the stabilization programs were not working, the U. S Treasury secretary, Mr. James Baker came with a strategy to solve the debt-crisis. This was called as "Baker Plan". The World Bank was asked to impose more comprehensive conditions on the debtor countries under this plan in 1985. These conditions are known as "Structural Adjustments". [58] In 1986, the IMF set up its Structural Adjustment Facility. By the end of 1990, the majority of the countries that had received conditional loans from the IMF also received structural adjustment loans with harsh conditionalities from the World Bank

The Union Government of P. V. Narasimha Rao under the initiative of the then finance minister, Dr. Man Mohan Singh (Now the prime minister of India since 2004), wedded with the Structural Adjustment Program of World Bank that paved the way to New economic Policy where the foreign capitals invest their wealth upon various Industrial sectors of Indian economy. The process of economic reforms was started by the government of India in 1991 for taking the country out of economic difficulty and speeding up the development of the country. On 21 July 1991, Dr. Manmohan Singh obtained Parliamentary sanctions for his economic policy resolution. [59] The center of economic reform has been Liberalization, Privatization and Globalization.

Liberalization: It means to unshackle the economy from bureaucratic cobweb to make it more competitive. The following are its chief feathers:

To do away with the necessity of having a license for most of the industries.

Freedom in determining the scale of business activities.

Removing restrictions for the movement of goods and services from one place to another.

Freedom to fix the price of goods and services.

Reduction in the rate of taxes.

Freedom from unnecessary control over economy.

Simplifying import-export procedure.

Simplifying the process of attracting foreign capital and technology.

Privatization: It means such an economic process through which some public sector undertaking is brought either partially or completely under private ownership. Broadly speaking, establishing in the private sector instead of a public sector is also privatization earlier reserved for it or transferring its production, without depriving it, to the. Not only this, depriving public sector of the job of production which was private sector also amounts to privatization. Its chief features are given below:

Reducing the role of public sector and increasing the role of the private sector.

Reducing fiscal burden of the government.

Reducing the size of the government machinery.

Speeding up economic development.

Improving management of enterprises.

Increase in government treasury.

Increasing competition by opening industries reserved for the public sector to the private sector.

Globalization means integrating the economy with the rest of the world. The following are its chief features:

Free flow of goods and services in all the countries.

Free flow of capital in all the countries.

Free flow of information and technology in all the countries.

Free movement of people in all the countries.

The same conflict solving technique in all the countries.

Objectives of Economic Reforms are:

Modernization of the industrial system of the country.

Encouraging private investment.

Attracting foreign investment.

Eliminating unproductive controls.

Connecting India Economy with the world economy.

Controlling fiscal deficits. (Fiscal deficit comes into play when the total expenditures of the country exceed its total incomes.)

Increasing foreign exchange reserves.

Controlling unprofitable industrial units in the public sector.

Prior to June, 1991 the balance of payments was getting to unmanageable deficits leading to heavy growth of external debt; especially short term debt, the exchange rate had become unrealistic. Moreover, government expenditure had been weighed down by growing burdens of subsidies. The banking system had significant proportion of uncreditable assets. The Industrial system was characterized overproduction, over regulation, high costs, over staffing, and heavy mismanagement. All resulted in the incidence of huge industrial sickness. [60] New Economic Policy represents a change in attitude towards the role of government and the private sector in the management and development of the economy. It implies that government cannot do everything and that the private sector can be helpful in the development and eradication of poverty. In short, New Economic Policy of India opened its doors to many multinational companies to invest their wealth and begin new industries without much legal procedure in India.

2. 1. 3. The Relation of Land and Resources

Odisha is known as one of the countries richest states in mineral resources. Apart from Odisha, the states like Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh are also blessed with heavy treasures of resources. The mountain areas are covered with forests and barren lands where the tribals find their abode for a long time.

In July 2003, the Odisha government under the leadership of Naveen Patnaik permitted the unconstitutional transfer of lands in Scheduled V areas for mining and Industrial use. Odisha’s decision contradicts the 1997 Samata versus Andhra Pradesh Judgement, where the apex court had ruled against the government about the lease of Tribal forest and other lands in Scheduled areas to non-tribals for mining and industrial operations. [61] 

2. 1. 4. Odisha Government, the Rich Owner of the Land

Odisha has enriched with its natural resources, and minerals. The deep forest contains rich biodiversity of plants and animals. The state government is holding the majority of its land. Forty three percent of its land is considered as forest. Around 20 percentages of land belongs to the public and rest of the land occupies the tribal, upper castes and Dalits.

Odisha government is able to convert the forests and barren hills for industrial purpose with the help of the New Economic Policy if the central government permits. Most of the tribals do not have the Patta to their lands. The government treated these areas belongs to the state property.

2. 1. 5. Encroachment of Multinationals and Transnationals

The transnational companies are the spear heads of globalization and have become the dominant economic and political force in the world economy. Increasing competition and pressure on transnational companies to increase profits leads to a relentless search for cheap labor and resources.

State of Odisha invites many multinational companies to invest their mining industries. Fourteen mega projects have signed Memorandum of Understanding entailing an investment of Rs 2 lakh crore. Some of the mega projects and its merits and demerits are:

2. 1. 5. 1. Pohang Steel Company, (POSCO)

The Pohang Steel Company is one of the multinational companies, based in South Korea, wish to invest Rs. 52, 000 Crore in Odisha. According to the Memorandum of Understanding, POSCO agreed to invest in the state of Odisha to establish an integrated plant to manufacture steel, mine iron ore and other ores, as well as the infrastructure necessary for its operation in Odisha. The MoU of 2005 stated that the government of Odisha wants to utilize its natural resources and industrialize the State, is seeking new integrated steel plants in view of the rich iron ore and coal deposits in the state.

POSCO needs some 4004 acres, of which but ten percent belong to the cultivators. The rest of the land required belongs to the government, and this has been recorded as "under forest" in official documentation. Government records do not show that the vast majority of this land has been under cultivation by the people living in these areas for generations. They required around 6500 acres of land for the entire project (4004 acres of land for steel plant at Paradeep, 2,000 acres of land for township, 500 acres of land for mines and 25 acres of land for Head office at Bhubaneswar). [62] 

2. 1. 5. 1. 1. Impact of the Project

The proposed plant and port will adversely affect 11 villages and hamlets in 3 Panchayats in Jagatsighpur district namely-Dhinkia, Nuagaon and Gakujang. According to the official status, merely 438 acres of land of the required 4004 acres are private land, displacing 471 families. The rest 3566 acres is government land, under forest or recorded ‘anabadi’ (wasteland). What government records do not reflect is that most of the land has been under the occupation of the people who cultivate it for their livelihood.

More than 4000 families and a population of 30, 000 will be affected by the project in the area. These include all those persons directly dependent on the betel vine cultivation, pisciculture, cashew nut cultivation and fishing in the Jatadahari Mohana where the port is expected to come up. Another 20, 000 people of Erasma, Tirtol and Jujanga block will be affected if the port is made at Jatadhari. [63] Loss of livelihood, of a self sustained and thriving local economy and an entire way of life is concerns on which the local resistance to the project is largely based on.

The coercive force of the government is safeguarding the interests of the company. The company is cleaning the trees of the land under the supervision of the police forces. In other words, this clearing operation was being conducted in complete disregard of the wishes of the local communities. The people who have shifted to the transit camps are victims of the same state-corporate nexus that is breaking up of communities in this area, and leading to loss of homes, lands and livelihoods. [64] 

POSCO offers 48,000 job opportunities but most of the people would not get it because they do not have the skill. The SEZ status that has been granted to the project would deprive the government of taxes and pose a threat to the security of the country. The company is only interested in capturing iron ore and minerals on a large scale.

2. 1. 5. 1. 2. Issue of Legal Titles

The land under Betel vine and other cultivation expected to be acquired by the project was under the category of government land; inclusive of revenue land, forest land and also village forests or ‘gramya jungle’, to which people do not have legal titles. The land question has been in possession of the people for several generations. This is proven by the fact that the people have been paying an illegal occupancy fine to the local revenue administration since time immemorial. Royalty for betel vine sales is also paid. [65] 

2. 1. 5. 1. 3. Who are the major beneficiaries?

Indian Governments Land Acquisition Act, 1894 is a myth. It is a myth because there is no ‘public purpose’ behind land acquisition and for which police force is used to occupy villagers' land for industrial houses. POSCO says it already spent $ 6.2 billion dollars for POSCO-India project but no compensation has paid thus far. Then who is benefiting most in the name of public purpose? The ruling politicians, bureaucrats and media.

Among them Bank of America, Capital research and Management Group and Warren Buffet would be the major receivers. Mr. Warren Buffet of US, started business for just $10,000 in 1965 to $32.3 billion in 2001, now the highest investor in coca-cola, would take above 4% of POSCO profit where as entire Odisha state after giving iron ore, energy, land, water, tax relaxation, police, administration, manpower would be just below 1% of the total profit as royalty in these 30 years of the project period. [66] 

POSCO is owned and controlled from the very center of world capitalism and imperialism in the United States. Odisha is the poorest State with an official estimate of 39.9 per cent of people living below the poverty line, yet in regard to the proposed investment stood at second position after Gujarat. According to Assocham Investment Meter, recorded investment proposals in Odisha reached Rs. 2, 00,846 Crore (roughly 40 billion USD) in 2009. [67] The cause is the availability of rich mineral resources such as coal and iron ore along with the cheap availability of manpower. Steel and power were among the sectors which attracted maximum proposed investments in the state.

2. 1. 5. 2. Vedanta Aluminium

Vedanta Resources is a global mining and metals company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the largest mining and non-ferrous metals company in India and also has mining operations in Australia and Zambia. Its main products are copper, zinc, aluminum, lead and iron ore. It is also developing commercial power stations in India in, Niyamgiri, Odisha (2,400 MW) and Punjab (1,980 MW). The company was founded by Anil Agarwal in Mumbai in 1976. It was first listed on the London Stock Exchange in 2003 when it raised $876 million through an Initial Public Offering. Meanwhile in 2006 it acquired Sterlite Gold, a gold mining business.

Vedanta Aluminium is headquartered in Jharsuguda, State of Odisha. Vedanta owns 70.5% of the share capital of Vedanta Aluminium and Sterlite owns the remaining 29.5% share capital of Vedanta Aluminium. They produce ingots, billets & wire rods that are sold in the markets around the World.

Niyamgiri is situated in the Lanjigarh area of Kalahandi district of Od



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