M A I N   N E W S

Over 100 sadhus court arrest

Ayodhya, December 5
Over 100 dharamacharyas, saints and sadhus today courted arrest here in support of demand for release of Kanchi Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswati arrested in connection with the Shankaraman murder case.

Prominent among those who courted arrest were VHP organising secretary R.S. Pankaj, Mahant Kaushal Kishore Das, Mahant Kanhaiya Das, UP BJP general secretary Lallo Singh and local BJP MLA Ram Sewak Das Shastri.

Mr Pankaj earlier told mediapersons at Tulsipark that the programme was approved by the All-India Akhara Parishad and sponsored by Dharmacharya Sanyukta Sangharsh Samiti and a memorandum to President was sent through the district administration, demanding a CBI probe in the Shankaraman murder case in Kanchipuram in the interest of justice.

The memorandum also urged that the provision of taking over of religious places under Section 26 of the Constitution should be amended and proposals of taxation on Hindu temple rejected by the government.

Mr Pankaj said the VHP would carry out future programme in this regard under the directions of Hindu dharmacharyas.

Tight security arrangements were made in Ayodhya and the procession of sadhus and VHP, BJP workers started from Tulsi Park, headed to Faizabad and was stopped at the gate of Sri Ram Government Hospital.

The processionists courted arrest there.

VIJAYAWADA: Hundreds of Vishwa Hindu Parishad activists staged a ‘satyagraha’ and courted arrest here on Sunday in support of incarcerated Kanchi Acharya Jayendra Saraswati.

Those arrested under Section 151, Cr PC, included VHP state vice-president Y. Loknatha Sharma, Sringeri mutt Dharmadikari K. Umamaheswarudu and Dharmarakshana Swamyukta Samiti convener P.V.S. Naidu, police said.

Earlier, addressing the activists, Mr Sharma, also a noted lawyer, took exception to the manner in which the Shankaracharya was arrested on trumped up charges on Deepavali day, hurting the sentiments of the Hindus. — PTI, UNI