Bhubaneswar, Feb 8 : Leaders of the BJP and affiliates of the Sangh Parivar today alleged that the just-concluded visit of a delegation of European Union diplomats to Kandhamal had a “communal agenda”.

“The European colonial powers in the past had divided India on communal lines. Now they want to perpetuate by patronising the Christian community as a separate section among Indian citizens,” alleged BJP state unit president Jual Oram.

Claiming that the visit was made on the invitation of churches, Oram alleged that the delegation had secretly met the clerics in Kandhamal and assured them financial assistance to promote proselytisation or “harvest of souls”.

The BJP leader castigated the Naveen Patnaik government for allowing the foreign delegation to visit Kandhamal to “divide people on communal lines”.

He claimed that the delegation had not met any Hindu leader during their visit to Kandhamal which “exposed their communal agenda”.

The European diplomat delegation also tried to meet the judges of fast-track courts in Kandhamal in violation of protocol, he said.

The former Union minister alleged that the conduct of the delegates “amounted to interference into internal affairs of a sovereign independent member state under the UN”.

Local BJP MLA from Baliguda, Karendra Majhi rued that the delegation had not met any public
representative during their visit to Kandhamal. Majhi, a tribal leader, alleged that their visit had caused “panic and tension among innocent tribals”.

Laxmikant Dash, the general secretary of RSS-affiliated Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram, feared that the visit would sow seeds of communal tension.

“I don’t foresee any backlash after this visit. A number of delegations from various countries has earlier visited Kandhamal during the recent months. But there has been no violence,” said Cheenath.

John Dayal, the general secretary of All India Christian Council, said the delegation was not a Christian delegation, nor the visit was sponsored by any church.