VHP begins yatra amid tight security; 500 activists arrested

Agra, August 25: Setting the stage for a confrontation with the Uttar Pradesh government, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) inaugurated its controversial yatra from Ayodhya on Sunday, amidst a massive crackdown launched by the administration, in which over 500 people, including a former BJP MP and a sitting MLA, have been arrested till now.

Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas Committee Chairman Mahant Nritya Gopaldas kick-started the yatra from Maniram Chawani (akhada) in Ayodhya but was briefly detained by the police.

"We have inaugurated the yatra. But this yatra should not be politicised. It is carried out all 12 months (not time bound)," Gopaldas said.

Ahead of the start of the yatra, former BJP MP Ram Vilas Vedanti and sitting MLA Ram Chandra Yadav were arrested early Sunday morning.

Vedanti was arrested around 7 am when he had left his house here for the parikrama, police said, adding MLA Ram Chandra Yadav was also arrested.

"Over 500 persons going to participate in the yatra have been arrested from across the state, where tight security arrangements are in place to prevent the proposed yatra. Anyone going for the yatra will be arrested as it has been banned by the government," ADG, Law and Order Arun Kumar said.

Asked about the possible arrest of VHP leader Ashok Singhal, who will reach Lucknow from Delhi, Kumar said Singhal would be taken into custody if he plans to go to Ayodhya, otherwise he is free to go anywhere.

The 300-km-long procession began even as it has been banned by the Uttar Pradesh government and a petiton against the ban, dismissed by a Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court.

A curfew-like situation is prevailing in the town as shops have been shut and Naya Ghat area has been cordoned off, under high security arrangenments. In massive security set up, the Akhilesh Yadav administration has cut off all access to the ghats and, starting Sunday, all of Ayodhya and its twin town Faizabad, are out of bounds for the VHP.

Senior VHP leader Praveen Togadia said that he has reached Ayodhya last night by road and will take out the yatra.

Prominent among those arrested by the state police include Savitri Bai Phule, VHP's provincial coordinator Acharya Kushmuni and Mahant Santosh Das alias Sathu Baba, a VHP office bearer in Varanasi while prominent VHP leader Mahant Ram Saran Das was held at Ram Sanehi Ghat in Ayodhya.

In Amethi, peethdheshwar of Sagra Ashram Abhay Chaitanya Mauni Mahraj was also put under house arrest as a precautionary measure.

A team led by the Faizabad DM and SSP had yesterday carried out searches at VHP's local headquarter Karsewak Puram, Mani Ram Chawni, the temple of VHP leader and president of Ram Janam Bhumi Trust, Mahant Nritya Gopal Das and about half a dozen suspected hideouts of VHP's activists in and around Ayodhya.

Temporary jails have been set up by the government in districts including Faizabad (10), Barabanki,(12), Bahraich (16), Basti (2), Gonda (3) and Ambedkarnagar (5), which lie in the yatra route.

The state government had banned the yatra, stating it would not allow to set any new tradition. Such parikrama was never organised in the past 50 years and as per Hindu belief it is performed in "Chaitra" month (April) of the Hindu calender which has already passed.

The VHP, however, got support from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).