Determined to send a tough message against communal violence in Orissa on the eve of Christmas, home minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday called up chief minister Naveen Patnaik and asked him to ensure law and order in the state during the festive season.
?I have impressed upon him that it is the responsibility of the state government to maintain law and order and protect the lives of all sections of people in the state? Chidambaram said in a signed statement.
He also said that the Centre was in constant touch with the state government and that additional help in the form of CRPF personnel and a helicopter for aeriel patrolling had been provided to them.
Orissa, particularly districts like Kandhamal have witnessed large scale violence against Christians in the wake of the killing of VHP leader Swami Lakshmanananda Saraswati in August. Hindutva outfits in the state had called for a bandh on Christmas day against the ?failure? of the state Government to nab the killers. The outfits, however, called off the bandh after the state government succeeding in persuading them to avoid tension during Christmas.
Chidambaram, who spoke to Patnaik once earlier, also appealed to the people of Orissa is to maintain peace and harmony among different communities. Apart from 2,400 CRPF personnel deployed on a long-term basis in the state, which witnessed prolonged communal violence, the Centre has sent additional 5,300 personnel of CRPF and Rapid Action Force (RAF), Chidambaram said.
Chidambaram said he has asked the chief minister to keep him informed about the developments and offered further assistance, if necessary.
The situation in Orissa has been engaging the attention of the Centre in the last two weeks, he said and added that the state government has reported that it has arrested