Lucknow, Oct 17: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav today said all VHP activists, including its president Ashok Singhal, arrested in the state ahead of the outift's programme at Ayodhya have been released. "Over 30,000 VHP activists were rounded up all over the state and all of them have been released. Singhal has also been released," he told reporters in reply to a question.

Yadav complimented police and administrative machinery of the state and central para military forces for "excellent handling" of the situation and exercising "utmost restraint despite provocation".

"My personal administrative experience and that of the police and administrative officials helped a lot in dealing with the situation arising out of the VHP's call for sankalp diwas," he added.

More than 6,500 devotees were allowed to have 'darshan' and 'puja' of Lord Rama at the makeshift temple today, Yadav added.
Bureau Report