Jaipur, Apr 13: VHP leader Praveen Togadia, who defied a ban on distribution of tridents, tonight said he was arrested "under the direction and pressure" of Congress president Sonia Gandhi mounted on the Gehlot government in Rajasthan. "Rajasthan is the sole state in the country which has banned the religious symbol of Lord Shiva on the advise of Congress president, Dhawan and George. We will make it a Waterloo for the Congress in this state,” Togadia, who was lodged in Gegal police station, 15 kms from Ajmer, said on phone.

"It would be Jehad against the Gehlot government and Sonia Gandhi,” he said.

"I am in police custody and have not been told about the charge against me,” the VHP leader said.

"I have given trishul diksha to 150 activists and dharam sabha was attended by 20,000 people,” Togadia claimed.

Meanwhile, state BJP president Vasundhara Raje condemned Togadia's arrest saying it was "most unfortunate and undemocractic,” a party spokesman said.
The BJP would draw an agitation plan against Gehlot government's ban on trishul and arrest of the VHP leader, the spokesman said.

Bureau Report