Supreme Court orders protection of Christians in Orissa

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - The Supreme Court ordered authorities in Orissa on Monday to provide security to thousands of Christians who fled their homes after some of the worst religious violence in decades last year, officials said.

The ruling appeared to back criticism from Christian leaders that the state government had failed to provide enough security for scared Christians still living in camps and forests.

The top court also barred the state government, run by a coalition of a regional party with Hindu nationalists, from withdrawing troops from riot-infested zones without permission of the central government.

Violence broke out in August last year after the murder of a local Hindu leader and over the controversial issue of conversions in poor tribal areas of Orissa last year.

Christian leaders at the time accused Hindu nationalist groups of targeting Christians for political gain, while rights groups accused the state government and police of not doing enough.

Hindu nationalist groups have denied their involvement in the clashes that left at least 38 people dead and scores wounded. Tens of thousands of Christians fled to government relief camps and into forests.

This prompted Christian leaders to file a petition seeking court intervention after local authorities failed to provide adequate security and attacks continued.

In Orissa, scared Christians have said they were afraid to return to their villages, despite intervention by the court.

"We have decided not to go home," said Banita Pradhan, a 27-year-old woman who lives in a slum in Bhubaneswar, the state capital.