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Rediff.com  » News » BJP flays minorities panel report on Karnataka

BJP flays minorities panel report on Karnataka

By Onkar Singh in New Delhi
Last updated on: September 26, 2008 11:36 IST
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Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Prakash Javadekar has rejected the report submitted by the National Commission for Minorities in which a three-member commission had held the government of Karnataka responsible for inaction and allowing violence against Christians go out of hands.

The commission of inquiry that was headed by Mohmmad Shafi Qureshi, also chairman of the NCM, along with M Pinto and Harcharan Singh Josh had charged that it was state-sponored terrorism.

"It was a guided missile meant to target the state government. In fact the report that was submitted today was actually ready before the commission went to Karnataka. The whole thing was stage managed," Javadekar told rediff.com in a conversation on Friday morning.

The three-member NCM blamed the Karnataka government and Bajrang Dal for inciting violence against Christians that has brought bad name to the country. This was disclosed by Harcharan Singh Josh, one of the members of the commission, in an interview to rediff.com on Thrusday evening.

The commission submitted its report on Thursday afternoon to the Prime Minister's Office in the absence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who is currently visiting the US.

"The violence was led by a local Bajrang leader who bragged that he was behind the incidents of violence. It was around Friday when the commission visited the state that this man was put behind bars," Josh said in his exclusive conversation.

The three-member fact finding committee visted Udupi, Mangalore and Bengaluru and met over 1,500 victims including 25 women, boys and leaders of the churches. All of them gave gory details of the violence unleashed by the Bajrang Dal men who damaged 21 churches, broke their windowpanes and set fire to the furniture. Those who were hiding in the places of worship were dragged out by the local police and beaten up mercilessly.

"We have done our job and it is now for the Centre to take action or ask the state government to catch the culprits and put them behind bars. The full report will be released by Chairman Mohammad Shafi Qureshi next week," Josh explained.

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Onkar Singh in New Delhi