K'taka church attacks: Clean chit for BJP, Parivar

The Justice Somasekhara Commission of Inquiry into a series of attacks on churches in parts of Karnataka in 2008 has given a "clean chit" to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and Sangh Parivar outfits.

The committee, which was set up almost two years back following a spate of attacks on churches particularly in the Mangalore belt, has said that there is no merit in the allegations made against the BJP and the Sangh Parivar.

"The commission goes on to say that there is no basis to the apprehensions of the petitioners before the commission that the politicians, BJP, Sangh Parivar and also the state government are directly or indirectly involved in the attacks," the report, which was submitted to Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa on Friday, said.

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The commission further goes on to state that there was an allegation as well as an impression created that top police and district administration officials had colluded with the attackers who desecrated the churches.

The commission pointed out that there is no merit in this allegation.

The commission has, however, noted that the government and the district administration ought to have treated the Christian protestors with sympathy and this had not been done.

The commission also goes on to give out a list of recommendations in which it says that there should be an exclusive police station, only dealing with religious matters. Such a police station should have specially-trained police officials who can deal with such matters with a human touch.

Further, the commission adds that such police stations should function without interference of the state government.

The commission was set up in October 2008 and had before it a total of 1500 petitions.

There were 34 advocates in all who represented various groups from Mangalore, Udupi, Davangere and also Bengaluru.