A delegation of nuns, priests & laity, representing the victims of Kandhamal called on Mahesh Bhat to garner support for what most see as a forgotten cause. Mahesh Bhat assured that he would drum-up necessary support from prominent members of civil society and a fresh resolve to aid Kandhamal would be made. He assured that he would meet the prime minister and Orissa chief minister, Naveen Patnaik, in a bid to get justice for the impoverished victims, now living in sub-human conditions. The group consisted of Dr. John Dayal, member, National Integration Council, Government of India, Sr. Julia George, Fr. Ajay, Father Dibya, Bro. Varghese Thecanath, Dr. Abraham Mathai, vice chairman, Maharashtra Minorities Commission and Joseph Dias, general secretary of the Catholic Secular Forum (CSF), to voice the following demands -

1) A special investigation team be sent to Kandhamal to ensure that justice delayed is not denied. The victims of Kandhamal anti-Christian riots be treated on par with the Delhi anti-Sikh riot victims or those of the anti-Muslim riots in Guajarat and compensation on the same grounds be made.

2) The fast-track courts need to be moved out of Kandhamal to the state capital of Bhubaneshwar, if the cause of justice is to be served. Civil society would have to pressurise the government to give a no-objection, as it had objected to the raped nun's case from being shifted out.

3) Aid for Kandhamal victims from the PM's relief fund to meet the basic needs of those living now in slums and reduced to prostitution for their livelihood. The Orissa government assistance has been too little, too late.

The delegation pointed out that a gross miscarriage of justice was clear from the fact that inspite of over thousands of complaints being made, it resulted in only 89 being convicted, with the real culprits let off, among the 303 acquitted. Only a six year old child came forward to identify her father's killer, who happened to be the BJP MLA, Manoj Pradhan, who has been accused in many cases. He was the primary accused in eight cases with charges of murder, abetting murder and arson against him. But he was acquitted in all of them by the fast track court which pointed to the lack of conclusive evidence against him. The truth is that the victims are mortally afraid of their lives, knowing well the political clout and muscle power the accused have.

Inspite of over 2 years of litigation and harrasment, the process of justice, does seem to have even started, the group pointed out. In November 2009, Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik filed a written admission in the Assembly where he said "85 persons of RSS, 321 persons of Vishwa Hindu Parishad and 118 persons of Bajrang Dal had been arrested for their involvement in the Kandhamal riots". The courts rather than dispensing justice, seem to be letting off more accused, rather than convicting them. Those who have been acquitted, are those with charges like murder, rape and burning down houses.

The group has decided to approach the Supreme Court, if need be, in event of no justice being meted out to the victims.