The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Friday called a 12-hour bandh in Kandhamal district on Saturday to protest the ban on entry of its top leader Pravin Togadia to the district. Togadia, who was scheduled to attend a VHP golden jubilee meeting on Saturday, would not be able to do so as the administration has imposed Section 144 of the CrPC on his visit.
Fumed VHP members strongly protested the district administration for imposing Section 144 on Togadia’s visit for seven days starting from Thursday. They said they would not celebrate the ceremony but observe a district-wide bandh on the same day. VHP leader Bhagaban Mohanty said that the ban imposed by the Naveen Patnaik Government is an infringement of the right to religious freedom enshrined in the Constitution.
“In the past, the district administration has allowed Christian missionaries to have meetings here. It allowed the Pope’s representative to hold a meeting in Raikia. It even arranged for a helicopter for a gathering of Christian missionaries at Daringbadi, where the BJD MP was present. How can it now deny the same courtesy to a Hindu leaderIJ” the VHP leader asked.
Tribal leader lambodar Kanhar served a dire warning to the district administration for not allowing Togadia to attend the public meeting. “The poor handling of the situation by the administration led to riots in 2007 and 2008. If the administration trips again this time, it could lead to another riot,” he thundered. In view of the escalating situation, security has been beefed up throughout the district to prevent any possible law and order situation. Patrolling has been intensified and frisking of vehicles has started all over the district with policemen in large numbers deployed at all sensitive places.
