EU delegation next month to visit Orissa

Despite numerous phone calls, emails, urging Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his government to take concern over the Orissa violence, reports still claim the situation to be volatile.

For the second time, the Britain and other European Union countries have decided to pressurise the govt. to protect Christians and to ensure their safe return to their villages in Kandhamal.

This time it would not be a telephonic conversation, but rather a EU delegation will be sent next month to examine the situation and make recommendations.

During a debate in the House of Lords, Lord Bach, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Ministry of Justice said, the British government "unequivocally" condemned the incidents and urged New Delhi to uphold the right to freedom of religion.

Responding to members' concern on the situation in Orissa, Lord Bach said: "The United Kingdom unequivocally condemns the recent violent attacks against Christians that have led to deaths, injuries and widespread displacements in Orissa. We have expressed our concerns to the appropriate Indian authorities in Delhi and London. The U.K. will continue to urge the Government of India to uphold the right to freedom of religion. Our High Commission in Delhi, along with European and other partners, continues to monitor the situation in Orissa."

Lord Bach also denied reports of an inquiry ordered into the activities of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad in the U.K, stating it was not "proscribed" in India or Britain.

"The U.K. government does not consider the VHP to be a terrorist organisation under our law. The organisation is proscribed neither here nor in India, nor does the Indian government classify it as a terrorist organisation. Obviously, decisions on proscription must be proportionate and based on evidence that a group is involved in terrorism as defined in the Terrorism Act 2000," he said.

According to sources, Orissa would also be on the agenda of the next India-EU human rights dialogue to be held soon.