Delhi blasts and attacks on churches

The attack on churches and recent Delhi blast were the news that were widely covered in the vernacular newspapers in Karnataka, pushing the political developments to the inside pages.

The regional newspapers Kannada Prabha, Udayavani and Vijaya Karnataka unanimously criticised and analysed the blasts that darkened the last Saturday of September.

Udayavani aggressively came down on the police saying that blasts only after a month shows that the claim of headway in July blasts was eyewash. “The common man returns to earning his daily bread in spite of losing his dear one, not because he has moved on but he has to earn to make a living. The people in the government should not mistake it for ‘situation returning to normalcy’” wrote the newspaper in the editorial column.

“Let’s not focus only on combating overseas and outland enemies but also the terrorist who lives in our society and is capable of causing more harm than any others,” the newspaper said.

Criticising the prime minister of India of being busy with the nuclear deal, Vijaya Karnataka said, “Mr Prime Minister, you had promised of bringing a stringent law to combat terrorism after Delhi serial blasts years ago. But nothing has happened so far.

Stop being busy with ‘other’ things and root out the anti-elements within the nation.”

Listing out precautions to prevent terror activities Kannada Prabha advised the citizens to inform of any suspicious activities to the police.

“Terrorists are well-educated ones and are tech savvy whereas our policemen don’t match up to their caliber. So it is necessary for all of us to participate and not trust only the government to protect us,” quipped the newspaper. “The problem is more dangerous than brain drain because our society does not provide proper environment to nurture normal people,” it said.

Another issue the blazed across the state was attack on churches which the vernacular newspapers considered only an act of miscreants. The newspapers, however questioned the attitude of Christians and their history of violence and activities.

“Christianity has always propounded wrong theories, for instance, Sun revolved round the earth and when proved wrong, murdered or imprisoned the scientists. You have been wrong all the while. You cannot be right now of being attacked,” an opinion column in Vijaya Karnataka said.

“Why do you involve in conversions? Why did you recently join hands with Islamists to fight the Hindus? When the chief minister of Karnataka came to speak to you, he was insulted. You, who claim to be peace-loving and God-fearing, did not behave according to your words,” the newspaper strongly came down on Bangalore’s arch bishop’s reaction and behaviour.

Following the lines was a letter to editor in Udayavani asked the government to take back the land given to the Christian missionaries. “In the name of minority they have been given more facilities than what they need. Let them live like Hindus and they will realise our plight of being a religion of majority,” the letter said.

k_bhargavi@dnaindia.net