Bengaluru city police has banned Senior Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Praveen Bhai Togadia for seven days to enter Bengaluru who is supposed to take part in 'Hindu Viraat Samavesha' which will be held in Bengaluru on February 8. Praveen Togadia, slated to attend a convention in Bengaluru next week, has been banned from entering the city from February 5 to 11 by police on grounds that his "provocative and inflammatory" speeches would have "grave" consequences and likelihood of breach of peace.
City Police Commissioner M N Reddi on Tuesday said in a statement on Monday that he had imposed prohibitory orders banning Togadia's entry keeping in view the issue of maintaining law and order. In exercise of the powers vested under section 144 (3) CrPc, prohibitory orders "are issued banning Praveen Bhai Mohan Bhai Togadia from entering into the Police Commissionerate limits of Bengaluru city and participating in any public meeting or function for a period of seven days, from February 5 to February 11," Reddi said in a statement.
Provocative and inflammatory speeches of Togadia towards which he "is habitually and ideologically inclined" would have sufficiently grave consequences, he said. Also, there was likelihood of breach of peace, danger to human life and disturbance of the public tranquility and communal harmony in the city, he added. "Hence, avoiding the emerging situation and prohibiting Praveen Togadia from entering into the Police Commissionerate limits of Bengaluru City is felt absolutely necessary," he said.
In many parts of the country, including Karnataka, police have registered 19 criminal cases against Togadia for making inflammatory statements and showing disrespect to the Constitution, he said. Meanwhile, Bajrang Dal leaders met Additional Commissioner of Police (law and Order) Alok Kumar and urged him that Togadia be allowed to attend the sammelan.
Speaking to reporters, Bajrang Dal State Convener Suryanarayana said he was hopeful of police allowing participation of Togadia in the meet, if not they would take legal course. "We will be meeting the police officials once again, and we are hopeful that Togadia will be given the nod to participate in the event - if not we will approach the court," Suryanarayana said.
Meanwhile, Bengaluru police will decide on permitting Asaduddin Owaisi, president of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), to hold a rally in the City only after he submits an application in this regard, Commissioner of Police M N Reddi said on Monday.