Orissa: “Maoist” threats against Hindu radicals raise Christian fears

ICC Note

Christians in Orissa are fearful of attacks by Hindus following threats of attacks against Hindus by Maoists. In 2008, Christians in Orissa suffered unprecedented attacks by Hindu radicals after Maoists killed a Hindu nationalist.

By Nirmala Carvalho

12/15/2009 India (AsiaNews) – Police in the town of Ghumusar Udayagiri (Kandhamal district) are in a state of alert after homemade bombs were thrown at a shop in the town’s commercial district and anti- Sangh Parivar posters appeared.

On Saturday, posters covered the walls of the city hospital, ostensibly signed by the Indian Communist Party-Maoist, making threats against activists of the Hindu nationalist group. Two days earlier, bombs were hurled against a store owned by a well-known Hindu merchant, Nageswar Prusty.

Police became suspicious because the two episodes have occurred so close to Christmas. They expressed concern because the current situation is similar to what led to anti-Christian pogroms in August 2008. At that time, Maoist extremists assassinated Hindu leader Swami Laxamananda Saraswati, unleashing a wave of violence against Christians, unjustly blamed for the crime.

Many rumours are also whirling around in relation to the bombs of 10 December. A town resident who asked to remain anonymous said, “Nageswar Prusty, the owner of store, was accused by the police of being one of the main instigators of anti-Christian violence and was arrested for that. Then comes the bomb against his store. To me it seems to be an inside job designed to create tensions and agitation before Christmas.”