Inquiry commission report on Swami Lakshmanananda murder to be made public soon: Odisha Law Minister

Odisha Law Minister’s announcement that the inquiry commission's report on Swami Lakshmanananda Saraswati's murder would be made public soon, brought cheers to the faces of the thousands of Swami’s followers on Monday, which marked the death anniversary of the slain VHP leader. 

On August 23, 2008, Swami Lakshmanananda Saraswati and four of his followers were brutally murdered in his Jalespata Ashram in Kandhamal. 

Answers to questions like what led to his murder and who are the culprits are still elusive. As many as three commissions were formed to find out the truth behind it. Even the Naidu Commission submitted its report. But instead of making it public, the then-BJD government swiftly swept it under the carpet. 

After coming to power for the first time in Odisha, Mohan Majhi-led BJP government announced that the case would be reopened and the culprits would be brought to book which gave Swami’s followers a reason to smile. 

Today, Odisha Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan reiterated the same. 

“Chief Minister Mohan Majhi has discussed it (making the Commission report public) and a decision will soon be taken in this regard,” said the Law Minister. 

“In Odisha or in Independent India, it may be the first incident where as many as three inquiry commissions were constituted but not a single culprit could be arrested,” rued a Swamiji’s follower. 

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BJD MLA Pradeep Dishari said, “The report should be made public and the culprits involved should be punished. There is no reason for us to get worried.”

Swamiji’s followers observed his death anniversary as Balidan Divas at Kandhamal Jalespata, Bhubaneswar and Chakapada ashrams. Ministers Suryabanshi Suraj and Rabi Nayak took part in the celebration of Balidan Divas at Jalespata Ashram. The demand for bringing the culprits to book reverberated everywhere. 

“We will continue our efforts until Swamiji’s murderers are not arrested,” said Shankarananda Giri, head of Kriyayoga Ashram, Bhubaneswar.