Mangalore: Mixed Reaction in District for Report on Church Attacks
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)
Mangalore, Jan 29: The final report of the Justice B K Somashekhara Commission of Inquiry that went into the church attacks, which took place in the city and elsewhere during the year 2008, has received both flowers and brickbats in Karnataka coast. While Hindu outfits in general have welcomed the report, the others have preferred to differ from the Commission’s findings.
Divisional president of Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Prof M B Puranik, has welcomed the report. “The report has vindicated our stand that pro-Hindu organizations had not abetted the church attacks,” he commented. He also said that it has been proved that efforts are going on in the state for converting Hindus into other religions. “Irrespective of which government rules the state and the country, the Hindu outfits will fight this menace within the legal parametrers, and work for serving the interests of the Hindus,” Puranik stressed.
Dakshina Kannada district Congress vice-president, Ivan D’Souza, said that the Commission’s report is prejudicial. He pointed out that the Commission has failed to either pinpoint the culprits behind the church attacks, or recommend steps against the perpetrators. His other observation related to the failure of the Commission to spell out legal steps to be taken against Mahendra Kumar, the then state convener of Bajrang Dal. “While the report has clearly stated that Roman Catholics are not involved with religious conversions, it has not said the purpose for which the attacks were carried out. The report, while admitting that the policemen had illegally entered the churches, has not recommended any steps against them. This report aims at protecting the state government,” he criticized.
District vice-president of Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Jagadish Shenava, has welcomed the Commission’s conclusion that Bajrang Dal had not played a role in the church attacks. Divisional convener of Bajrang Dal, Sharan Pumpwell, too welcomed the Commission’s finding that his organization was not behind the church attacks.
Sushil Noronha, former secretary of Mangalore diocese, said that the Commission has gone against its own interim report, and brought out a report that favours the state government.
Prashant Jatanna, president of Indian Christians Union, noted that the Commission, which conducted the hearing of cases in a way that was acceptable to the Christians, has manufactured a report under the directions of the state government. He said that Mahendra Kumar had claimed that several BJP and Sangh Parivar leaders were involved with church attacks, but wondered about the fact that the Commission has absolved Bajrang Dal from the attacks. “By giving a clean chit to policemen, the Commission has supported injustice,” he felt.