The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Orissa government to ensure protection for the Christian community in the state and said withdrawal of paramilitary forces should only take place in co-ordination with the Centre.

The court has been monitoring the law and order situation in Orissa since September last year in the wake of the murder of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader and head of a local mutt, Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati.

The apex court had on October 22 last year directed the Centre to provide additional paramilitary forces to the state government for maintaining law and order in riot-hit areas.

Kandhamal and certain other parts of the state had witnessed violence after Saraswati's murder on August 23 last year.