Nov 25, 2009: Those behind last year's brutal violence against Christians in Orissa have been officially declared.

The Chief Minister of the state, Naveen Patnaik, has acceded and certified the speculation of Christians that "Sangh Parivar" had a major role in fuelling the violence.

Replying to a question by a CPI member in the Legislative Assembly on Monday, Patnaik said, the investigation into the riot cases indicted the RSS, VHP and Bajrang Dal activists.

Acknowledging that several Sangh Parivar activists have been arrested, Patnaik said 85 of the arrested belonged to RSS, 321 of VHP and 118 to Bajrang Dal.

To another question, the chief minister identified the houses under Phulbani, Gochhapada, Khajuripada, Phulbani Sadar, Tikabali, G.Udayagiri, Raikia, Phiringia, Sarangagarh, Baliguda, Tumudibandha, Kotagarh and Daringibadi police stations as burnt or destroyed.

He also said that the commission of inquiry has so far received affidavits of 383 persons and examined at least 34 government officials.

Kandhamal, last year, witnessed unprecedented communal violence following the killing of a Hindu seer at Jalespata under Tumudibandha police station limits on August 23.

While the press and several Hindu activists put the onus on the victims, Church activists adamantly believed that it was the brain of Sangh Parivar to subdue Christians in the process of aggressive Hinduisation of communities.