Attack on Christians rocks LS

Responding to members’ concern, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pramod Mahajan said the Centre would extend all help to state governments in dealing with such incidents and asserted "Our government’s top priority is to fully protect minorities wherever they are."

Condemning the incidents in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, Mahajan said he would request Home Minister L K Advani to hold talks with the chief ministers of the concerned states to ensure such incidents did not recur.

It was also the duty of the majority community to protect those belonging to minorities, he said, adding he would convey the demand of the Opposition to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee for convening a meeting of the National Integration Council shortly to discuss the matter.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Trinamool Congress member Sudip Bandhopadhyay condemned the attack on Christians in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana and sought exemplary punishment to all those involved.

Government must investigate the involvement of Bajrang Dal or any other political group participating in the crime, he said, adding such incidents must be dealt with firmly.

CPI-M leader Somnath Chatterjee said these incidents were not "solitary" and it appeared that a "jehad" (holy war) had been launched against the minorities.

Congress member S Jaipal Reddy said the Agra incident had come close on the heels of the attack on a priest and two nuns in Mathura and described the Bajrang Dal as a "terrorist organisation" which should be banned.

Bahujan Samaj Party member Rashid Alvi regretted the burning of the Bible during the attack on Christians in Agra and demanded dismissal of the Uttar Pradesh chief minister.

Sharing members’ concern, BJP member Vijay Kumar Malhotra said he was all for action against the culprits but at the same time regretted that Opposition was maintaining silence on attacks on Hindus in Jammu and Kashmir and the open declaration by Imam Bukhari of Jama Masjid that he was an agent of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of Pakistan.

An agitated Samajwadi Party member Raj Babbar, whotrooped into the well of the House protesting against the attack, demanded sacking of the Chief Minister and stern action against the guilty.