Church attack: BJP hijacked panel, says Veerappa Moily

Union Law minister M Veerappa Moily on Saturday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in
Karnataka of ?hijacking? a judicial commission probing the attacks on churches in the state in 2008.

He also favoured a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the church attacks.

?Ruling BJP has hijacked the commission and had failed to protect minority Christians in the state,? Moily, a former Karnataka chief
minister, said reacting to the BK Somashekara Commission of Inquiry report.

The Union minister said chief minister BS Yeddyurappa should order a CBI inquiry to unravel the truth.

?Just because a commission gave a report, truth cannot be buried, it should come out and the state government should make sincere efforts (towards it),? Moily said.

He also pointed to contradictions in the final and interim reports submitted by the commission.

?Always any Commission’s final report should be taken into account along with the interim report. In this case, it was very clear in the
interim report submitted in February 2010 where there was mention about involvement of Bajarang Dal and failure on the part of police
and district administrations in discharging their duties,? Moily added.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Karnataka is not responsible for the 2008 series attacks on churches in the state, said the commission investigating the incident.

The commission, headed by former judge BK Somasekhara, was formed to investigate the role of government and the state police in the incident.

Submitting its reports to Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa on Friday, the commission gave a clean chit to both the government and police, and said none can be held responsible for the attacks.

The report will be made public after it is tabled in the Karnataka Assembly.

In September 21, 2008, three churches were attacked by unidentified persons in Mariyannapalya, Banasawadi and Rajarajeswara Nagar in Bangalore.

The churches were attacked at around 4:30 am, while an incident of stone pelting was reported at the Raja Rajeshwari church. The church at Mariyannpalya was reportedly vandalised by agitating groups.

On Sept 20, 2008, the state convener of Bajrang Dal, Mahendra Kumar, was arrested by Mangalore Crime Intelligence Bureau while on his way to a nearby town, Ujire, in Dakshina Kannada district for a Dal meeting.

Kumar was held for his statements to the media claiming Bajrang Dal was responsible for the attacks on churches in several districts of Karnataka.
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There was a clamour for Kumar?s arrest after his controversial statement, and the Karnataka government was on the backfoot following
the Centre?s tough stance against the desecration of churches in the state.

Cadres of Bajrang Dal attacked Christian places of worship in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Chikmagalur districts. IGP (western Range) AM Prasad said Kumar has been linked to attacks on at least 17 places of worship in three districts.