Ensure peace on Christmas, Centre tells Orissa govt, rushes troops
NEW DELHI: Even though Sangh Parivaar outfits, including VHP, have withdrawn their call for Christmas bandh in Orissa, the Centre remains concerned over a congregation being planned by Kui tribals in Kandhamal on Wednesday to commemorate the killing of their leader in communal riots in December last year.
Union home minister P Chidambaram, who has spoken twice to chief minister Naveen Patnaik in the last couple of days, has committed extra Central forces to keep vigil at Christian institutions and a helicopter for air surveillance of riot-hit Kandhamal and Sambhalpur districts.
Mr Chidambaram, in a statement issued on Wednesday, asked the state government to put all the resources at its disposal to ensure that peace prevails between communities during the festival. The home minister also made a personal appeal to the people of Orissa to maintain communal harmony....