| Kandhamal Violence |
Kandhamal violence was one of the worst incidences for which 2008 will be remembered. The echo of the violence that was triggered by the killing of Swami Laxmananda Saraswati and four others by an aggressive mob reverberated throughout India. Even though a Maoist leader claimed the responsibility of killing the Swami, it was largely believed that Maoists collaborated with the locals Christians to avenge the burning of 11 churches in last December. The reaction to Saraswati’s killing is rooted in the tension between the Scheduled Tribe Kandhas and the Scheduled Caste Panas, many of whom have converted to Christianity. There are allegations that many of the Panas have obtained false ST status.
Kandhamal violence badly disfigured India’s image before the West as a state which cannot protect the Christian brethren. Our PM was especially pulled up during the EU meet and he came back and reacted fast after which things finally subsided.
But was Kandhamal violence really communal? If so, why did it not spread to urban Orissa, what is the explanation of Maoist presence and involvement in the violence and why was the state government not able to stop it?
As per the 1991 census there were 4.7 lakh Hindu and 75 thousand Christians in Kandhamal. But in just 10 years there was an almost equal percentage of increase in both the populations, despite the wide demographic gap. This situation obviously raised the question about how so many conversions took place in Kandhamal. And even if they did, was violence a solution to it?
A common thread connecting these questions is that Kandhamal is one of the most backward districts in India with a huge SC, ST population, large number of villages and low connectivity due to innumerable hills and dense forests. These characteristics are an obvious attraction for the missionaries, something that in turn attracted Saraswati and his organization. It is also an ideal place for Maoists to hide as well as a rich recruitment field.
What made the violence go unabated in Kandhamal was its lack of connectivity because of its topography. Also due to a large number of villages it became difficult for the administration to gather enough force to keep a watch over all the villages.
Although the fire in Kandhamal apparently seems to have died down but things have not quite settled as yet and what is prevailing there is an explosive calm that may trigger another round of brutal violence at the very first opportunity.
Genesis behind the hatred»
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