KalingaTimes Correspondent
Bhubaneswar, Feb. 6: Kandh tribal leaders on Saturday alleged the European delegation and the Odisha government would be held responsible if fresh violence erupts in strife-torn Kandhamal.

Addressing a news conference here, tribal leader and BJP MLA Karendra Majhi and Banabasi Kalyan Ashram general secretary Laxmikant Das alleged that the visit of the EU delegation to Kandhamal was aimed at promoting conversion and communalism in the area.

They said the delegation, during its two day visit to the area, met only one section of the community and held secret meeting inside the Catholic Church with select NGOs and church leaders. The members did not bother to meet local public representatives or Kandh leaders.

The leaders further alleged that the EU delegation had tried to interfere with and influence the affairs of the state by holding discussion with the Director General of Police and government officials on the well being of a particular community in Kandhamal.

Majhi condemned the visit of the delegation and the decision of the BJD-led Naveen Patnaik Government to approve the visit. The state government, he said, must clarify about the visit of the team and holding talks with only Christians and the Church leaders.

Das indicated that it was not a cultural and social visit but communal and aimed at creating an extra territorial loyalty which would set a dangerous trend in the area disturbing the peace and harmony.

He also demanded a probe into the activities of the NGOs operating in Kandhamal in close liaison with the church leaders by accepting huge foreign fund.

He alleged that several churches had come up on tribal land and demanded that such land grabbed by middlemen for construction of churches, pastoral training centre and prayer houses must be returned to the tribals forthwith.