Kandhamal violence due to SC-ST rift: Orissa CM

Written by Writer on Tuesday, October 14th, 2008

Kandhamal violence due to SC-ST rift: Orissa CM

NEW DELHI: Seeking to deflect attention from Bajrang Dal which has been accused for attacks on Christians, Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday said the recent incidents of violence were a manifestation of the “conflict of interest” between Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

Speaking at the National Integration Council (NIC) meeting here, he sought to project a rosy picture of Orissa in terms of communal harmony even while acknowledging the “disturbances in some pockets” of the state from “time to time”, for which he blamed “ethnic strains, particularly among ST and SC communities”.

Referring to two incidents of communal violence in Kandhamal, he said there were clashes between members of SC and ST communities in the past “on account of conflict of interest in the matter of land rights, employment opportunities and religion”.

“The recent incidents of violence in Kandhamal are a manifestation of such discord,” he said about the district where STs constitute 53 per cent of the population and SCs constitute 22 per cent.

This comment assumes significance as the violence against Christians and churches has been blamed on Bajrang Dal, prompting demands for banning the Sangh Parivar outfit.

Patnaik insisted that the situation in Kandhamal has been brought under control and a “gamut” of measures initiated to facilitate “harmonious and speedier” socio-economic development of different communities living in the district.

He said a Special Administrator of the rank of a Commissioner has been appointed in the district to oversee the development of the area. The administrator has been given powers to settle long-standing issues over land rights.