Return
to Story Page
To print: Select File and then Print from your
browser's menu
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE
NEW DELHI, JAN 25: The National Human Rights Commission today decided to send a team to Orissa for an impartial inquiry into the macabre murder of Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two small sons. The team has been asked to report back to the Commission ``at the earliest''.
At the same time, it issued notices to the Chief Secretaries of the three States which have reported anti-Christian violence in recent months -- Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Orissa -- asking for reports on the steps that have been taken to book the culprits behind the attacks and restore confidence among the minorities. The Commission has set a deadline of two weeks for the submission of the reports.
An official release said the NHRC had taken suo motu cognizance of the continuing violence against the Christian community and urged officials of the three affected States to ensure that such attacks stop and do not recur.
A PMO official said later the Government welcomed the move by the NHRC and hoped that an inquiry by animpartial body like the Commission would reassure the international community that India remained committed to secularism and the rule of law.
Copyright © 1999 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
------------------------------------------------------------
This story was printed from Net Express located at http://www.expressindia.com. Net Express provides a portal to India, with news from The Indian Express and The Financial Express along with sites on travel and tourism, the entertainment industry, the power sector, the environment and much more.
------------------------------------------------------------