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Dangs 'cent per cent' normal, says Gujarat CM

Gujarat Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel today said ''cent per cent'' normalcy has returned to the tribal district of the Dangs in south Gujarat and that no major incident has been reported there during the last three days after the disturbances that began on December 25.

Addressing the media, he, however, said the state government would take stern steps to curb any attempts to convert people from one faith to another through allurements or pressure. The government was also seeking legal opinion with regard to the reported "SOS" sent by the Christian missionaries to the Pope. He said action would be taken against those who may have violated the law of the land by taking such a step.

Patel and Minister of State for Home Haren Pandya, who was also present, urged the media not to blow minor incidents out of proportion and to help maintain law and order and communal amity in the state.

The home minister said one company of State Reserve Police had been deployed in each of the four districts in Surat range, that senior police officials were patrolling the area and that specific arrangements had been made in identified sensitive areas.

The police was preparing a list of troublemakers, and district collectors had been asked to constitute peace committees.

Officials had been made accountable in taking action against rumour-mongers.

Citing yesterday's reports in a section of the press, Pandya regretted that ''while doors of two places used as churches had been slightly damaged, some newspapers had used huge headlines as if these places had been burnt down''. This had worsened the situation, he said.

Director of Information Mahesh Mankad, who was also present, regretted that the guidelines of the Press Council of India in reporting such matters were not being followed.

Additional Chief Secretary (Home) V V R Subba Rao said the two religious places allegedly damaged yesterday were, in fact, constructed on properties belonging to Hindus and were being used by Christians. Cases had been registered against the unidentified persons who damaged the doors of the two churches, he said.

UNI

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