Orissa’s excuse
Orissa’s excuse
Orissa wants the Union government to help it with a series of developmental measures that it claims will provide a long-term solution to the problem of communal violence in the state’s Kandhamal district.
The idea is, at best, a delaying tactic and, at worst, an excuse.
The state wants the Union government to set up a campus of the National Tribal University at Phulbani, the headquarter of Kandhamal district. It also wants a school in every block of the district. There is a long list of other demands as?well. These are worthy developmental goals, but they have little to do with communal violence, a problem that requires immediate attention.
Clearly, by linking these demands to the problem at hand, the state government is admitting its failure to control and curb violence against Christians.
This, in any case, is a charitable view of things.
And the possibility that the Orissa government has been less than keen to douse the communal fire for political reasons can’t be ruled out. Stopping violence is an issue related to law and order. It has nothing to do with setting up schools.
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