August 24, 2013 – Veteran Indian Catholic journalist and rights activist Anto Akkara on Friday released his 4th book on the carnage of Christians in Kandhamal District of Odisha 5 years ago, demanding justice that has been slow to come. Akkara’s new book, ‘Kandhamal Craves for Justice’ was released by former Chief Justice of Delhi High Court, A.P. Shah, at the Constitution Club of India in New Delhi, ahead of August 25, the 5th anniversary of the start of the violence. The first copy was given to Digvijaya Singh, the General Secretary of the All India Congress Committee (AICC). Violence against the Christians of Odisha erupted with untold savagery, following the murder of Swami Lakshmananda Saraswati on August 23, 2008, with Hindu extremists falsely blaming Christians, despite Maoist rebels claiming the assassination.
Five years into the orgy of violence and deprivation that continues even today, the award-winning journalist is calling the nation’s attention to the travesty of justice in Kandhamal, demanding answers to uncomfortable questions such as who were the real brains behind the orchestrated violence, why did the law and order arm fail to prevent the carnage, why justice continues to be denied to victims and why the national human rights watchdog remained silent. Akkara’s earlier books on the Christian persecution are, ‘Kandhamal – a blot on Indian Secularism’, “Shining Faith in Kandhamal,” and “Early Christians of 21st Century”.