Bhubaneswar, Nov. 15: Hindu outfits today gave the Naveen Patnaik government a month to arrest the killers of VHP leader Laxmananda Saraswati and take steps to check conversion.

They threatened to call an Orissa bandh on Christmas if the government failed to meet the deadline.

“We are giving an ultimatum to the state government. If it does not arrest the killers and conspirators by December 15, we will intensify our protest and observe a statewide bandh on December 25,” said Harihar Nanda, the national co-ordinator of the Hindu Jagaran Samukhya.

He was supported by leaders of other Sangh parivar affiliates.

The deadline was declared at a mammoth meeting organised in the state capital to pay homage to Saraswati, whose murder on August 23 had triggered a bloody backlash on Christians in Kandhamal and other parts of the state.

BJP vice-president Juel Oram and a senior party minister in the state cabinet, Golak Nayak, were present at the rally.

The ultimatum is virtually a veiled threat to Patnaik’s government, which has drawn flak from the Centre and various other quarters for failing to contain the attacks on Christians that have claimed more than 35 lives. Delhi had also threatened to invoke Article 355 or 356 if the state failed to rein in the perpetrators of the violence.

Braving a heavy downpour, thousands flocked to the rally near the Assembly that went on for four hours. The BJD-BJP government had granted permission for the meet despite a central government advisory against it.

More than 40 platoons of armed forces, including 15 of the Rapid Action Force comprising around 1,200 personnel, were deployed at the rally site and churches.

Hindu activists shouted slogans against the state government, while several speakers criticised the chief minister for his “minority appeasement policy”.

They alleged that the police were arresting innocent tribals under pressure from Christians.

RSS central executive committee member Indresh Kumar demanded a white paper on conversion and a ban on forcible conversion and cow slaughter.

Some speakers were also critical of church leaders.

“If they have no faith in the Orissa government, police and the state judiciary, they should then leave the state,” VHP state secretary Gouri Prasad Rath said.