Christian associations demand CBI probe into church attacks

Udupi, February 4: Louis Lobo, president of Udupi unit of International Federation of Karnataka Christian Associations on Thursday said that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) should probe the attacks on churches and prayer halls which took place in the State in September 2008.

Mr. Lobo told presspersons that the Final Report submitted by Justice B.K. Somasekhara Commission on attacks on churches and prayers in the State on January 28 this year was totally disappointing. Six months ago, in its Interim Report, the Commission had pointed its fingers at the Sangh Parivar organisations for being involved in the attacks.

But it had absolved the Sangh Parivar, the State Government and the Police in its Final Report. By so doing, the Commission had insulted the entire Christian community and the people. The Federation has put forth five demands before the State Government. The Government should take legal action against Bajrang Dal, Hindu Jagran Vedike, Sri Rama Sene, other Sangh Parivar organisations and persons involved in the church attacks. It should also initiate legal action against district administration and police who had behaved in a high-handed manner.

The Government should unconditionally withdraw cases against those who had protested against the church attacks in a peaceful manner. It should provide double the amount of compensation to sisters, pastors and others injured in the attacks and for the damage done to their churches. Since the Somasekhara Commission had failed to unravel the truth, the case of church attacks should be handed over to the CBI for investigation, he said.