Ahmedabad, Nov 16: Describing Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's endorsement of the Election Commission ban on its Gujarat yatra as "most unfortunate for democracy", VHP today said its plan was "irreversible". It also charged Chief Election Commissioner J M Lyngdoh with "acting at Vatican's behest".
"There cannot be anything more unfortunate for democracy than the Prime Minister chosing to endorse Lyngdoh's stand," senior VHP leader Acharya Dharmendra told reporters here. Alleging that Lyngdoh was acting at the behest of Vatican, the headquarters of the Catholic Church to which he belongs, Dharmendra said VHP was not bound by the CEC's move and its decision on the 'vijay yatra' was irreversible.
He also charged Lyngdoh with deliberately creating a controversy aimed at "whipping up passions" and said "it seems the CEC has become a party himself."
"Lyngdoh is committed to humiliating Hindus and has usurped the Gujarat administration," he said. Dharmendra, who was flanked by the outfit's firebrand secretary general Praveen Togadia, said the Hindu religious leaders would leave for Godhra tomorrow after paying respects to the sandals of Samarth Ramdass, guru of Maratha warrior Shivaji, and offering prayers at Somnath.
During the course of the press conference, Dharmendra repeatedly referred to the CEC as "James Michael Lyngdoh" to emphasise his Christian identity.
He also charged the CEC with "facilitating" the victory of Congress in Jammu and Kashmir "which had the release of hardcore militants on its agenda." Bureau Report