PM reassures bishops’ team

Prime Minister spoke to Orissa CM, asking him to take immediate steps to stop the violence in his state and restore normalcy, report Satyen Mohapatra and Soumyajit Pattnaik.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh spoke to Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday, asking him to take immediate steps to stop the violence in his state and restore normalcy.

HT Image

He spoke to Patnaik after meeting a delegation of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India in New Delhi. The PM also advised the CM to provide immediate relief to affected people. Violence against Christians is a “national shame” and all steps will be taken to put an end to it, the PM reportedly assured the delegation.

In the riots of December, several Hindu families had come to the rescue of their Christian neighbours. But this time, many did not step forward, fearing reprisals by communal mobs. The silent majority has gone into complete silence.