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BHUBANESWAR: Orissa's top ranking Maoist Sabyasachi Panda has once again claimed that the red brigade killed Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and four of his disciples at his Jalespeta ashram on August 23. Panda's statement came in form of an interview telecast by a TV channel on Sunday.
The interview showed Panda speaking from an undisclosed forest area, his head covered with a towel, face back to the camera and two men donning military fatigue standing by his side with assault rifles in their hands.
Panda defended his action and threatened more such murders. "Laxmanananda was not fighting for Hindus. He was heading the VHP and implementing an agenda targeted against the minorities," he said. "No one speaks for minorities. They are exploited. The riot, after the murder of Laxmanananda, was a conspiracy by the Sangh Parivar. Even without his killing, they would've caused riots to impose their agenda on the people," he said.
"The riots have nothing to do with the conflict between the Panas and Kandh tribals," he said.
Bajrang Dal national co-convener Subhash Chouhan rubbished Panda's claims, describing it as an attempt to divert public attention from the core issue. "We don't believe the Maoists killed Swami Laxmanananda, who, in his lifetime, never said a word against them. Except spreading education among the poor and telling them about the rich tradition of India and the threat from conversions, he did nothing for which Maoists should have targeted him. Religion is the consideration behind his killing which has outraged the masses, their political affiliation or reservation against us notwithstanding," he said.
Orissa DGP Manmohan Praharaj disapproved of media's focus on Panda. "When the situation in Kandhmal is returning to normal, such coverage by the media are bound to add fuel to fire. The Maoists are trying to queer the pitch for their own interest," he said.
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