Vishwa Hindu Parishad Leader Ashok Singhal has said that it would hold nation-wide protest against the Ban on 84 Kosi Parikrama Yatra imposed by Uttar Pradesh Government, on Monday. During the Protests memorandums will be sent to President through respective District Magistrates.
He added, “The yatra cannot be stopped now… Saints from over 700 districts of the country will continue to reach Ayodhya to take part in the yatra… The state government should reconsider its decision and lift the ban”.
There are 40 halts of the yatra that would continue till September 13 and as per the programme saints from all states of the country would continue to come
What the government can do is to arrest them. It’s astonishing that over 100 saints, including Mahant Nrityagopal Das, have been arrested. It is a peaceful programme and no more that a dozen policemen are needed for it
We had met Mulayam Singh Yadav and apprised him about the programme that everyday 100-150 saints will take part in the yatra that will be peaceful. He did not deny then… It is a simple programme, but why so much force was deployed is not known
Taking a dig at UP minister Azam Khan, Singhal said he might be “happy” over the developments but it would have repercussions.
“Azam might be happy that saints have been stopped..But it will have repercussions. Against the ban, VHP will be holding nation-wide protest tomorrow in which memorandums will be sent to President through respective District Magistrates,” he said.
“The political parties are talking of politics in the yatra but why not about Lord Ram, who is living in a tent…,” the VHP leader added.
“They are saying that it’s (yatra) political but I want to tell them that its a religious programme. Government should have given security assurance for the programme, but it created necessary hype over it..,” he said.
“Why am I being arrested, what crime have I done…They should tell me. There is Mughal rule in Uttar Pradesh, where saints and seers are being stopped to worship”, he said Over 50 VHP and BJP activists were taken into custody after they staged a protest at the airport against Singhal’s arrest.