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Journalism of Courage
A judicial commission of inquiry set up to probe a series of attacks on churches in Karnataka in September 2008 has in an interim report dated February 1 said that detailed examination of the incidents point to the involvement of Bajrang Dal,Sree Rama Sene and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad.
The interim report of the Justice B K Somashekhara Commission also says that it has got the impression that the top police officers and the district administration and other authorities colluded with members of the Bajrang Dal and Sree Rama Sene directly or indirectly in attacking the churches or places of worship. Mangalore,the Dakshina Kannada district,Udupi,Chikamagalur,Davangere,Bellary,Dharwad,Bangalore and Chikaballapur are areas where these right wing outfits were responsible for attacks,says the commission.
The Bajrang Dal had claimed responsibility after a series of attacks on churches,specifically in coastal Karnataka,in September 2008. It leader Mahendra Kumar,who was later arrested and released on bail,had also claimed that it was directed against conversions.
The commission said the attacks deeply affected the harmony between members of the Hindu and Christian religions and created suspicion in the minds of each other.
The report has triggered a political storm of sorts with the opposition Congress now demanding the resignation of BJP Chief Minister Yeddyurappa and a ban on the right wing groups named in the report. The report clearly establishes that the government failed in discharging its constitutional duties and obligations, KPCC president R V Deshpande said after meeting Governor H R Bharadwaj with a memorandum on Wednesday.
Yeddyurappa said his government is duty bound to protect the interests of minorities but will react only after the commission presents its final report. But Home Minister V S Acharya has questioned the alleged failure of the commission to provide the report to the government in a sealed,secure cover as well as the move to make the report public. Acharya has also refused to accept the commissions observations to be actual findings. These are only impressions given to the commission by people who deposed before it and are not findings, he said,though the report states its inferences and findings in shall be taken as the opinion of the Commission based upon the materials gathered during the inquiry and supported by reasons.
Commission Secretary N Vidyashankar said the report was not presented to the government in a sealed cover as the Commission of Inquiry Act of 1952 does not specify this. In this age of RTI,the judge was of the view that the report should be in the public domain. It is just a precedent that these reports are given to the government and that it is the governments prerogative to make it public, he said.
The commission recommended sincerity and commitment from the government to ensure protection to all religions and their institutions in the state. It also calls for a ban on all communal organisations in whatever name or form preaching or practicing any activity against any religion in any form. It also said that the district administration at all levels should be made liable and that all of them follow uniform protocols to deal with religious matters. It has also recommended the setting up of a commission of religions and a registrar of religions to regulate activities of different religious groups.
Vidyashankar said hearings of commission were continuing and a final report would probably be ready in four to five months.
