New Delhi (AsiaNews) – Representatives from the European Union were met by ultranationalist Hindu protesters from the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) as they began their visit to the State of Orissa, scene of anti-Christian violence at Christmas in 2008 and the summer of 2009.  The European delegation is in India to take stock of the situation in that state but their presence has caused resentment among Hindu extremists who made sure to tell the diplomats to “go back” home.

Heavy police presence kept protesters far from the delegates, who are from Hungary, Poland, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Britain, Finland and Sweden.

Tomorrow, they will meet officials from the state of Orissa and the local police. The next day they will travel to Kandhamal, and then fly back to the Indian capital on Friday.

The protest comes after VHP national leaders expressed their opposition to the visit, going so far as to call on the government of Orissa to ban it.

Mgr Raphael Cheenath, archbishop of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar, told AsiaNews “vested interests are not interested in the truth. They are afraid that the truth might come out and that the EU might want to address this problem” of anti-Christian persecution in Orissa.

In fact, the situation in Kandhamal is still difficult, the prelate said. “Many Christians are still forced to live on the outskirts of villages, not allowed to live in them. Many are also afraid of being forcibly converted to Hinduism because in some places being Hindu is a prerequisite to live in the villages,” the archbishop explained.

“We do not have accurate data, but we do know that a large proportion of Christians is still refugee. Some are living in temporary shanties in Bhubaneswhar; others have moved to other states in search of security.”

“Our people continue to live in a precarious situation, in fear. Intimidation by the majority community continues, even if it has lessened somewhat,” Bishop Cheenath said. However, “in Kandhamal, life will be normal only when all the people have returned to their village and can live in peace in their homes, and pray safely in their churches. At present, some of those involved [in the carnage] are on trial, but the real criminals, the perpetrators of communal violence, are still at large.”