Steps taken to restore normalcy in Kandhamal not enough: NCM

The National Commission for Minorities today said the Orissa government had failed to take "enough" steps to restore normalcy in Kandhamal district where communal riots had broken out in December 2007 and again in August 2008.  "Steps taken to restore complete normalcy in Kandhamal are not enough though the situation there has improved," NCM Vice-Chairman M P Pinto told reporters after meeting Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

Since about 1900 out of over 20,000 people were still in relief camps, it showed that complete normalcy was yet to be restored in Kandhamal, Pinto said.

"It is the duty of the government to ensure that not a single person remains in relief camps, but 1900 people are still there," he said.  The NCM would also recommend to the Centre to take measures, including the state's demand for retaining the CRPF personnel already deployed for three more months for restoring complete normalcy in Kandhamal, he said.

To a question on possibility of violence erupting in the district in the event of withdrawal of central security forces, he said: "we will look into the matter while making a recommendation to the Centre."

During the meeting, the chief minister pointed out that despite the state government's request, the Centre was set to withdraw the CRPF from Kandhamal by June end, sources said.

Of the 53 companies (nearly 5300 personnel) deployed in Kandhamal, the Centre has withdrawn 48 companies, while the remaining five were set to leave the district in the next fortnight.

"The state government told Pinto to ensure that at least 10 companies of CRPF were needed in Kandhamal," a senior police official said.

Communal violence erupted in Kandhamal in August last year following the killing of VHP leader Laxmananda Saraswati. At least 43 people were killed and scores of churches damaged in the violence targeting minority communities.

Describing implementation of a package for rebuilding vandalised churches as the first of its kind in the country, Pinto said the state had already given Rs 25 lakh for repiar of churches.

The NCM vice-chairman also met Governor M C Bhandare, Chief Secretary Ajit Kumar Tripathy and senior officials.