Central team returns

GANDHINAGAR, Dec 30: A two-member team of Special Secretary M B Kaushal and Joint Secretary Sandeep Bagchi of Union Home Ministry returned to Delhi this evening after obtaining from the Government, details on the recent attacks on Christians and their institutions in the Dangs and elsewhere in South Gujarat. The team submits report to the Centre tomorrow, after which Union Home Minister L K Advani is expected to brief the Press on the Gujarat situation. The members met State Home Department officials and Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel and Minister of State for Home Haren Pandya separately.

The team also met Chief Secretary L N S Mukundan and ACS, Home, V V Ramsubbarao, DGP C P Singh, DGP Intelligence Bhattacharya, State Home Secretary Nityanand and Deputy Secretary S Aparna. Ramsubbarao told Express Newsline that the team was provided with all details, including precautionary and preventive measures. He said it was neither a fact-finding mission nor an inspection. The team had arrived to collect details for their assessment report for Union Home Ministry. A VHP delegation had made a bid to meet the team and later met the Chief Minister, seeking protection of Hindus and their temples in South Gujarat.