Author: PTI
Publication: The Pioneer
Date: January 13, 2008
Demanding tough measures to regulate activities
of foreign funded NGOs operating in riot-hit Kandhamal district, VHP leader
Laxmanananda Saraswati on Saturday called for an open debate on conversion,
terming it as the 'root cause' of unrest in the tribal dominated areas.
Saraswati, attack on whom was stated to be
the cause of the communal flare up in Kandhamal stated this after recording
his statement before the National Human Rights Commission here.
"I have told the NHRC team that conversion
and foreign funding to NGOs were the reasons behind communal riots in Kandhamal,"
he told reporters.
"I urged NHRC to probe fake caste (ST)
certificates fraudulently obtained by non-tribals. I also demanded action
against the people who obtained such fake certificates and got Government
jobs," Saraswati said.
Rejecting the State Government's claim that
conversion had nothing to do with the riots, VHP veteran said that the Government
was not properly informed about the chronologies of the incidents.
He asserted that all conversions of dalits
and tribals in Orissa were made by allurements like money and jobs and challenged
those who claimed otherwise.
