Protests as EU team visits site of anti-Christian riots in India

Feb 3, 2010, 8:02 GMT

New Delhi - Police in the eastern Indian state of Orissa detained five activists for staging a protest during the arrival of a European Union delegation, reports said Wednesday.

The members of the extremist Hindu Banjrang Dal group were arrested at the airport of the state capital Bhubaneshwar Tuesday evening, police told the IANS news agency.

They were protesting the EU's delegation's planned visit to areas of the state affected by widespread anti-Christian violence in 2008.

The delegation left the airport amid tight security after police arrested the five activists. After police apprehended the five, t

The 11-strong EU team is due to tour the Kandhamal district Thursday to meet victims of the riots and review measures taken by the state government for the resettlement of the homeless.

The district, 200 kilometres west of Bhubaneshwar, saw widespread communal violence after Hindu leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati was murdered along with four of his aides in August 2008.

Saraswati had been leading a campaign against conversion to Christianity in the area.

Scores of churches and houses of Christians were set on fire by Hindu groups, and clashes broke out between members of the two religions.

At least 40 people were killed across the state and more than 25,000 Christians were left homeless.

Last year the federal government denied the EU permission to send a delegation to the area, local dailies reported.

The right-wing Vishwa Hindu Parishad (World Hindu Council) and its youth branch the Bajrang Dal demanded that the visit be called off.

The region is beginning to return to peace and normalcy, they say, and the trip by the EU delegation could create fresh tensions.