NGO-Naxal-Christian nexus behind Murder of Swami Lakshmananda

A Hindu Swami killed while celebrating “Janmasthami” festival in Secular India!

The Christians meddling in Orissa, killings and communal issues

By Vedaprakash

Late news of killing an old man by the unknown killers


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Now, it is evident that the Christians have started indulging in terrorist activities in Orissa, after inciting the otherwise peaceful, innocent and calm Oriya people. Throughout India, Hindus were celebrating “Janmasthami” – the birth day festival of Lord Krishna. The old-man,
Swami Lakshmanananda was also doing that unaware of the fact that he would be killed soon. The Christians have been bend upon this man ever since he started campaigning against their activities. The John Dayal’s tirade against Swami Lamanananda has been open and glaring[1].

The conflicting reports about killing of the Swami


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The news of killing of
Swami Lakshmanananda and four disciples, including a woman by the unknown people – has been reported differently by various leading and local papers.  

The Swasmi was reportedly killed
a group of armed at his Jalespata ashram in Kandhamal district of Odisha on Augurst 19^th, 2008 (Saturday) in a grenade attack, shot dead and so on. Read the reports: “The Hindu” reports like this:

Orissa police on alert after ashram attack Prafulla Das                 http://www.hindu.com/2008/08/24/stories/2008082460251000.htm BHUBANESWAR: The police all over Orissa have been put on alert after Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Swami Lakshmanananda and four disciples, including a woman, were killed in an attack by armed men at Jalespata in the communally sensitive Kandhamal district on Saturday (19-08-2008). Maoists suspected The assailants opened fire and hurled bombs at his ashram at 8.30 p.m., Director-General of Police Gopal Chandra Nanda told The Hindu over telephone. “We suspect that the assailants could be Maoists,” he said. The Superintendent of Police and district officials reached the spot. Mr. Nanda said several senior police officials were asked to go to the district to prevent any untoward incident. The SPs in all 30 districts were put on alert. Police sources said police were deployed near churches and prayer houses in the district. On Friday, a threatening letter was received at the ashram and the Tumidibanda police station was informed. Last year, Kandhamal district witnessed large-scale violence involving Hindus and Christians on Christmas-eve, following an attack on Swami Lakshmanananda.

Another report of “Kalinga Times” from Bubaneswar has been as follows:

Swami Lakshmanananda, four others killed http://www.kalingatimes.com/odisha_news/news/20080823-Swami-Lakshmanananda-four-others-killed.htm Kalinga Times Correspondent Bhubaneswar, Aug 23: Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Swami Lakshmanananda Sarawaswti and four others were killed when a group of armed men attacked his Jalespata ashram in Kandhamal district of Odisha on Saturday night. A letter with a threat to eliminate the Swami was received at the ashram at Jalespata under Tumudibanda Block of the tribal-dominated backward district on Friday. The attack took place around 9 pm and all the five persons died on the spot, according to VHP sources. The victims included a woman Sanyasin. While confirming the attack, police sources said the attackers used automatic weapons and bombs. They were suspected to be Maoists, source added. While the police and administration officials had reached the spot, senior officials from other districts had rushed to the region to take control over the situation. Additional police forces were being mobilised for deployment in different parts of Kandhamal that has a sizeable number of Christian population. Superintendents of Police in other districts of the state also been alerted, according to the police. The district had experienced communal violence in December last year. Several persons were killed and hundred hundreds of houses were burnt during the violence that continued for several days. The communal violence had started following an attack on the Swami a day before Christmas.

The “Odisha Today” reports as follows giving more details:

Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati, 4 others killed in grenade attack in Orissa By our Correspondent              Last updated: 08/24/2008 13:22:25 http://www.odishatoday.com/Orissa/laxmanananda_shot_dead_54215867952487513-250808.html Bhubaneswar ( Orissa) : In a sensational incident Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and four of his close aids have been killed in a grenade attack by the suspected Maoists at around 9 PM at Jalaspotta Ashram, in Tumudi Bandh area in the tribal dominated district of Kandhamal in Southern Orissa on Saturday night. According to the sources the suspected Maoist have hurled grenade on the Ashram resulting killing of five persons including Ashram chief, Swami Laxmananand Saraswati. The other victims include two inmates of the ashram and all the victims have dead at the spot. RSS has decided to block all NH running through the Orissa as mark of protest over the killing on Saturday night, sources said. Meanwhile RDC Southern range Satyabrta Sahu, DIG Southern range, RP Kothe have rushed to the spot as the tension flare up in the district following this incident. Additional security forces 12 CRPF platoon have also been moved to the spot to prevent any unpleasant incident in the district. According to the sources in the police administration, the Orissa DG Gopal Nanda directly monitoring the whole situation. Meanwhile in yet another significant development highly placed sources in the VHP says that VHP and other saffon outfits have called a emergency meeting at undisclosed place to decide future action over this issue. VHP and other saffron partied have called a dawn to dush Bandh on Monday protesting the brutal killing of Swami Laxamananda Saraswati. It may be noted here that the tribal dominated Southern district of Orissa has been under serious tension since Hindu and Christians clashed each other on December 25, 2007 in Phulbani district. Since then, Central Para Military Forces have been camping at Kandhamal. Orissa Government has constituted a judicial commission under Justice Basudev Panigrahi to probe the December communal clash. In protest against the attack on saint and illegal beef trading, members of RSS, Viswa Hindu Parishad and Bharatiya Janata Party led by Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati blocked the roads and demanding action against the accused. Swami demanded a high level probe into illegal beef trading in Kandhamal. VHP has also called Kandhamal bandh on Wednesday over this issue.

The Economic Times” reports that they were “shot dead” during the “Janmasthami” celebrations (Sri Krishna Jayanthi).

Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader, four others shot dead 24 Aug, 2008, 0107 hrs IST, IANS http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/PoliticsNation/VHP_leader_four_others_shot_dead/articleshow/3397757.cms BHUBANESWAR: At least five people, including a top leader of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), were shot dead in an ashram in Orissa’s Kandhamal district by an armed group during Janmashtami festival celebrations on Saturday, the police said. Over 20 armed people attacked at the ashram at Jalespata village, some 340 km from here, at about 8 p.m. and started firing. “Five persons were killed. They include Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati,” Gopal Chandra Nanda, state director general of police, told IANS. The dead include Swami Amrutananda, a woman and a boy, he said. The police could not confirm whether the attackers were Maoist guerrillas. Saraswati was a senior VHP leader. The police have clamped orders prohibiting the gathering of four or more people in the entire district. After hearing the news of the killings, thousands of people blocked roads in several places of the state.

The media has sensationalized and internationalized the Kandhmal issue


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The media has definitely internationalized the issue[2], of course, the Christian romanticism in such activities have been more noticeable. Hundreds of news coverage in western media and more blogs appeared condemning the “Hindu communal forces”. The NDTV recorded as follows:

“A team from the National Minority Commission will visit riot torn Kandhamal district of Orissa on Monday, where night curfew continues. Curfew has been lifted from district headquarter town of Phulbani, but night curfew will continue in three other towns. This after a week of violence gripped the district when violence broke out between Hindu’s and Christians but the web of violence is not that simple.The Congress has also demanded an all-party meeting on Kandhmal communal violence.

“While the rest of the world was celebrating Christmas, the tribal dominated Kandhmal district in Orissa was literally burning. It was a mysterious mix of communal and ethnic passions that pushed the district into complete lawlessness for over a week. Old and simmering antagonism that existed between the Hindus and Christians and between Kandh tribals and Dalit Panos for years in this district were ignited at the same time and that made the situation get out of control.

“What and who was responsible for the eruption of violence that affected the entire population, across the religious and ethnic divide? With tension still continuing in the disturbed district, a dispassionate study of the circumstances is simply not possible. NDTV takes a look at what lies at the root of the hatred that has set Hindus against Christians and Panos against the tribals.

“The politics of hate


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On December 24, the structure set up to hold Christmas celebrations in Brahamanigaon was attacked and destroyed. The provocation was nothing more than the pandal encroaching the main road of the town. That was enough to start an ugly argument, which ended in the Hindus attacking the pandal and injuring two Christians.  After that, a rumour that prominent VHP leader Swami Laxmananand Saraswati had been attacked by a Christian mob at Dasingibadi set off a wildfire of violence across Kandhamal. “How can they attack a revered saint who has been working for the people for last 33 years? You think they want peace,” asks GS Rath, Secretary, Vishwa Hindu Parishad. At the same time, trouble was brewing also between the Kandha tribals and their old adversaries, the Dalit Panos. This mutual hatred had been simmering for the past 20 years with seven kandhs and 9 Dalits killed in clashes in 1994. The kandhs called a bandh on December 25 and 26, to protest the scheduled tribe/caste status acquired by the Dalits recently But many suspect the Kandhs were set up by the Sangh Parivaar, to add to the confusion during the attack on the Christians. But the tribal leaders themselves say it was entirely a coincidence. Lambodar Kanhar, Secretary, Kui Samaj, Kandhmal said, “We had a meeting on the November 29 and decided on the dates. It was just a coincidence and once we decided we went ahead with it.”

“Clash of the castes
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The Kandh tribals, predominantly pro-Hindu or Hindus, account for an overwhelming 51 per cent of the population. And nearly 70 per cent of the Dalit Panos who constitute 18 per cent of the population are Christians. That partly explains why the ethnic conflict here sometimes also assumes religious overtones If a Dalit becomes a Christian he loses all privileges and concessions available to the Scheduled Castes but if a tribal becomes a Christian he retains all the privileges available to the Scheduled Tribes. This was at the root of the conflicts – both religious and social. Christian organisations have been pushing for scheduled caste benefits for the Dalits, irrespective of their religious status, the Kandh tribals and the Sangh Parivaar are fighting the idea. What adds to the animosity is the Sangh Parivar’s allegation that Christian missionaries have used allurements and incentives to convert the mostly poor and backward population. Even the BJP, a partner in the ruling alliance feels there should be stricter provisions against conversions. Suresh Pujari, President, BJP, Orissa said, “The core issue is forced conversion by way of allurements or coercion. We need to enact a law that would be so strict that nobody would ever dare to convert people by alluring them.”

“But Christian leaders say the conversion issue has been drummed up just to hound them. “If conversions are only a pretext for anti-minority violence, why are Muslims and Sikhs also targeted even though they don’t convert people? It’s a mindset that looks for pretexts to attack minorities,” said John Dayal, Secretary General, All India Christian Committee. But the fact is, the VHP has been aggressively tackling the Christian conversions here for some time now. In the late 60s, VHP leader Swami Laxmananand Saraswati set up an Ashram in Chakapad and they have been running an anti-Christian campaign in Kandhamal since then. Their sole aim is to re-convert tribals and Dalit Christians. In May 2005, they organised the largest Hindu congregation in Orissa to celebrate the reconversion of nearly 350 tribal Christians. The Swami is very clear about what the real trouble in Orissa is. “The fight is on because we want to them (people) to become Hindus and they want them to join Christianity and convert the land into a Christian land,” said Swami Laxmananand , VHP Leader & Hindu Missionary. Adding to the smouldering situation are election campaigns every few years that feed on and fuel the religious hate campaigns. Christians say religious intolerance has seeped into the bureaucratic and judicial system as well and it is that which explains the administration’s indifference to the anti-Christian violence in Kandhmal.. Christian leaders are also worried about the reaction of their own community to the religious intolerance. They see a rise in Christian militancy in some areas, especially in Bamunigaon where an armed Christian mob retaliated ferociously to the attack on December 25, turning on the local Hindus and attacking the police with firearms. While the state government does not seem to recognise the new threat and blames the Maoists for the armed attack on Hindus in Bamunigaon, the rise of Christian militancy in Kandhmal is indeed a reality and could have serious consequences, both on the minority community and the socio-religious conflicts in future.”

The Police already suspected




“NGO-Naxal-Christian nexus”


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 The police now think it’s a NGO-Naxal-Christian nexus. Wow, that’s really the kind of work Orissa police can be really proud of. In 1999, Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two minor sons were burnt alive for allegedly converting tribals. The Christian propaganda in fuelling the communal hatred is noted by their International reporting and spreading distorted news. Assist News Service could be cit