Blog@Orissa Concerns

Breaking every law
The mobs came asking blood
O’er the fields we ran
And very few got away
The police stood and watched
While Bajrang Dalis torched
Our houses by the night
And people by the day

Oh, jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
It’s no fun to be a minority
In Orissa today
Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
All we want is the Sangh Parivar
Would let us live and pray

Not so long ago
We thought we would be fine
But soon these Sanghi goons
Came and stole the shine
The plot was mean and dark
A swamiji was shot
We were blamed for it
And a massacre we got

Oh, jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
It’s no fun to be a minority
In Orissa today
Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
All we want is the government
To ensure some fair play

Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what future do we have
In Orissa today
Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
We will fight and we will win
And keep the fascists AWAY!!

[nggallery id=1]

CHRISTMAS FOR ORISSA CAMPAIGN
Pray For Peace, Fight For Justice, Save Christmas In Orissa

Dear Friends,

The Christmas of 2008, traditionally an occasion for joy and hope, threatens to be a dark and fearful day for the people of Orissa.

In an extremely provocative step, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) – responsible for horrific violence against the state’s Christians over the past one year – has threatened to call an Orissa bandh on 25 December 2008.

There is great apprehension that the VHP bandh will become another excuse to unleash more pogroms against the already battered Christian community and kill both the flesh and spirit of this year’s Christmas in Orissa. In fact it was on Christmas Day last year that the attacks, organised by the VHP, Bajrang Dal, RSS and other Hindutva extremist groups, were launched.

In renewed violence since late August this year over 60 people have been killed, several women including nuns raped, over 4,400 houses and 151 churches destroyed and more than 18,000 people injured. Even as we write this there are over 50,000 people homeless and living in the most atrocious conditions unable to return to their homes due to fear and lack of state protection.

We sincerely appeal to people of all religions in Orissa, the rest of India and indeed all over the world to join the Christmas for Orissa Campaign to:

• Defeat the politics of hate indulged in by extremist organisations; 
• Prevent the recurrence of further violence in the state; 
• Preserve the spirit of Christmas; and 
• Prevail upon the Indian and Orissa governments to protect the lives and livelihood of innocent citizens. 

This Christmas for Orissa Campaign is part of already ongoing efforts in Orissa and elsewhere with similar objectives and involves the following suggested activities:

• Make peace and justice in Orissa the theme of this year’s Christmas all over the world; 
• Organise special Christmas for Orissa vigils/prayers outside Indian embassies and VHP/RSS offices all over the world; 
• Organise peaceful vigils/prayers outside VHP/RSS offices all over India; 
• Send letters/Christmas greeting cards to Indian government officials and VHP/RSS/BJP leaders appealing for peace and justice in Orissa 

More suggested activities will be posted on the Christmas for Orissa Campaign websitewww.orissaconcerns.net soon and all those interested in joining or contributing to the campaign are requested to contact: christmasfororissa@gmail.com and www.orissaconcerns.net