After the international outcry, including a stinging report against the violence in Orissa by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, he said, "some interest has been taken. The central government sent more troops. They also discussed the matter with the chief minister."
He did not attach much credence to Chief Minister Patnaik's assurances about taking stringent action against the communal forces perpetrating violence against Christians and other minorities, saying, "The whole thing has to be understood in the line of politics. In April, they have announced elections, the politics is that it is a repetition of what happened in Gujarat. They are using the same experiment here in Orissa -- beat the minorities and win the majority vote. This is politics."
"Neither the Centre nor the state government can take any serious action which would displease the majority community -- the Hindu community -- on whom every political party depends for their success," the archbishop said. "So, this time, they will not take any serious action against the majority."
He acknowledged that initially, it was perhaps a law and order situation, and maybe not a pre-meditated attack by the Hindutva forces. He also conceded that poverty-stricken Orissa was bereft of professionally trained police office and lacked a viable security infrastructure.
Image: Christian tribals return to their villages after spending days in hiding in a forest at Naugram village in Orissa. Photograph: Parth Sanyal/Reuters.
Also see: Who killed Lakshmananda?
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