Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 6 (IANS) Lok Sabha MP from Kerala P.C. Thomas Monday demanded that Home Minister Shivraj Patil and Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik step down over the attacks against Christians in the state.”Both Patil and Patnaik should resign because there have been serious lapses in which these two people have erred in discharging their duties. We request Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to urgently visit the affected places in Orissa,” Thomas, who belongs to the Kerala Congress (J), told reporters here.

Thomas, along with Kerala assembly member Surendran Pillai, visited the violence-hit Kandhamal district of Orissa Sep 30-Oct 2.

“We met Patnaik, leader of opposition J.B. Patnaik, church leaders, district administrators and the affected people of Kandhamal. The situation is really grave and if better sense does not prevail, it could be bad,” said Thomas, who has been representing the Muvattupuzha Lok Sabha constituency in Ernakulam district since the late 1980s.

Since Aug 24, the anti-Christian attacks in Orissa have left over 35 people dead. The violence, triggered by the killing of a Hindu leader Swami Laxmanananda Aug 23 in Kandhamal, saw rampaging mobs burning down churches and homes of Christians, forcing thousands to flee and take refuge in jungles.