Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati, a VHP functionary whose murder triggered violence in Orissa’s Kandhamal district, had been facing threat from rival groups and was provided with security by the state, Orissa DGP said on Monday.

“The threat perception was in view of his Hindu assertive activities and the reaction such activities evoked from rival groups. Accordingly, Saraswati was provided an armed personal security officer (PSO),” DGP Manmohan Praharaj told a commission of inquiry probing the killing of the VHP leader and the violence after.

“Saraswati was taking up causes like protection of cows, opposing conversion and spreading vedic education from his ashram at Chakapada and Jalespeta in Kandhamal,” he said in an affidavit. “Saraswati’s opposition to cow slaughter and conversion created tension and clashes between his supporters and rival groups,” Praharaj said.

Praharaj said “allegation of conversion and the sharp reaction it evoked from assertive Hindu groups in the backdrop of ethno-communal divide used to cause law and order problem.” The State Level Security Committee had decided to provide security to Saraswati on October 29, 2003, the DGP said.

Praharaj also said that there was a long standing ethno-communal divide in Kandhamal between members of the ‘Kandha’ community (ST) most of whom were non-Christians and the ‘Pana’ community, many of whom were Christians. Many among the Kandhas believed that their land rights, access to government and other benefits had been misappropriated by the Pana community, he said.

Ethno-communal violence had taken place in Kandhamal in 1994 and 2007.

... contd.