Proposed Christmas day Orissa Bandh called off

Happy news at last.
The proposed Christmas day 12 hour shutdown [Bandh] in the State of Orissa was called off late evening on Friday .
What ever the reason for this change of mind let me congratulate and thank the organisers of the proposed Bandh for calling it off. I hope the measure will bring some relief to the beleaguered people of Orissa.
The people whose actions that might have made the VHP change its mind include
1.Naveen Patnaik,Chief Minister of Orissa [although an ally of BJP] who strongly opposed the Bandh
2.Chandan Mitra, journalist and BJP Rajya Sabha member and Dharmendra Pradhan BJP Lok Sabha MP who negotiated [may be as advised my Mr Advani] with the VHP and the Chief Minister so that the BJP-BJD alliance will not fall before Parliament elections.
3.Pressure from European Union diplomats who toured the State recently
4. Pressure from National Human Rights Commission
I thank each one of you who supported this cause and signed the petition appealing for postponement of Christmas day Bandh.
Our fight for an India where everyone gets Justice should continue. Let us be alert about any injustice happening in our Country we all love

A plea to postpone the Orissa Bandh to be held on Christmas Day

To Mr.L.K.Advani Opposition Leader Lok Sabha, New Delhi
Dear Mr LK Advani,
A 12 hour Bandh [shutdown] have been called in the State of Orissa by Swami Laxmananda Saraswati Sradhanjali Samiti supported by the Viswa Hindu Parishad[VHP] on December 25 2008,the day of Christmas. We the people of India request you to please use your influence on the organisers to postpone this Bandh which is planned for the Christmas Day, since a Bandh on a day of festivities for Christians may lead to further division of people on religious lines. The country has just suffered terrible Terrorists Attacks in Mumbai and we all need peace and unity at a time like this. This gesture of yours will go a long way towards bringing harmony and Unity amongst the people of Orissa.
Thanking You,
Citizens of India
Click here and sign this petition to prevent further division of people on religious lines

Edited on Decemebr 22 2008

The proposed Bandh had been called off.So I am closing the petition

Orissa Bandh call on Christmas day.A call for more rioting?

A 12 hour Bandh [shutdown] have been called in Orissa by Swami Laxmananda Saraswati Sradhanjali Samiti a front organisation of Viswa Hindu Parishad[VHP] on the day of Christmas.The call is to protest against the inaction of the State Government in arresting the killers of Swami Laxmananda, a prominent VHP leader of Orissa.
Swami Laxmananda along with 4 others was killed on the night of 23rd August 2008 by about 30 armed men. According to the Police, Maoists [Left extremists] was behind the attack.But the Hindutva extremists lead by VHP accused militant Christians for the killing. They organised a massive communal riot in many Districts of Orissa for weeks,killing many Christians,raping nuns and destroying churches.
Later prominent Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda claimed responsibility to the murder. The VHP was not at all convinced. They are still insisting that the Swami was killed by Christian groups.
They issued an ultimatum to the Government to arrest the Christian militants. The Government have arrested a few suspects who are Maoists. VHP is not satisfied. They have now called for a Bandh on Christmas day. The State Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is firmly opposing the call for bandh on the most important day for the Christian World.But it was the same Chief Minister who under pressure of its ally BJP in the ruling coalition allowed the terror on Christians to continue for days.
So the communal divide is deepening in Orissa. The Sangh Parivar want to transform Orissa to another Gujarat. All is set for a violent Bandh on December 25. How can we prevent it?
Will an online petition to Mr L.K.Advani the Opposition leader will help to dissuade the VHP from organising the Bandh?