Hyderabad: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader M Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday condemned the arrest of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) chief Ashok Singhal, and alleged that vote-bank politics is the main reason behind the Samajwadi Party (SP) Government’s move to stop the ‘Chaurasi Kosi Parikrama Yatra’.
“The BJP strongly condemns the action of Uttar Pradesh Government in arresting Ashok Singhalji, in detaining the sadhus and sants from taking out the yatra. India is a free country. People have got every right to move around, to take out yatra.
"You can regulate the yatra. How can you stop it?” asked Naidu.
“It is all being done keeping in mind only vote-bank politics,” he added, while talking to media in Hyderabad.
VHP chief Ashok Singhal was earlier this morning detained at the Lucknow airport to prevent him from driving on to Ayodhya.
Clamping down on the proposed yatra, the Uttar Pradesh Government also arrested senior VHP leader Praveen Togadia earlier today after he defied prohibitory orders. Togadia was arrested from Gola ghat in Ayodhya.
Setting the stage for a confrontation with the Uttar Pradesh Government, the VHP inaugurated its ‘Chaurasi Kosi Parikrama Yatra’ from Ayodhya today, amidst a massive crackdown launched by the administration, in which over 500 people have been arrested.
Ayodhya has been turned into a fortress to prevent any unwanted entry. Sources say that scores of VHP activists have been arrested from Chandauli, Faizabad, Sant Kabir Nagar and other places.
There is no public involvement in this Yatra as most of the people chose to remain indoors, especially in the Yatra affected six districts.
The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court had earlier on Saturday dismissed a plea for allowing the ‘Chaurasi Kosi Parikrama Yatra’, stating that there is a possibility of tension, and added that the restriction will be maintained.
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad has vowed to kick off its `Chaurasi Kosi Parikrama` around Ayodhya to revive its demand for a Ram temple.
The Samajwadi Party Government has banned the proposed Yatra, as a preemptive measure against communal flare-up, and put in place elaborate security arrangements by rushing in 10 companies of the Rapid Action Force and 12 companies of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC).
ANI
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.