WASHINGTON: US Commission on International Religious Freedom, a statutory body advising American President and Congress, announced on Thursday that it will hold a hearing on June 10 to examine evidences which suggested that recent communal violence in Gujarat, was carefully planned by the state government.

"The government of Gujarat and some members of the police force is involved in the recent violence in that state. The riot in the state, located on the border with Pakistan, threatens to exacerbate the already inflamed tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad," said Commission Chairman Michael K Young.

"According to India's National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the events leading up to the Godhra tragedy and the violence that followed were marked by a serious failure of intelligence and inaction by the (Gujarat) state government," an official release quoted Young as saying.

"The Commission is very concerned that the US government has not spoken out forcefully against the attacks which killed nearly 1,000 people and left another 10,000 homeless in Gujarat", he said.

Stating that the violence has yet to be contained, the Commission called upon the US government to press the government of India to provide security for those people who remain under threat of attack, including Muslims and Hindus who may be subject to retaliation, and to see that those responsible for violent acts targeting members of religious groups are held accountable.

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