District authorities averted a possible confrontation with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad

District authorities averted a possible confrontation with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leaders when they detained BJP leader Sadhvi Prachi in Bijnore when she was on her way to Kaanth to take part in Vishwa Hindutva Parishad’ (VHP) proposed ‘Jalabhishek’, on Friday. 

Her detention is part of UP government’s efforts to prevent any law and order situation in view of the VHP march, BJP’s protest and Congress’ ‘peace march’ in Kanth area of Moradabad on Saturday.  As a precautionary measure, Section 144 has already been imposed in the area. Sadhvi Prachi along with several of her supporters were detained in Bijnore when they were on their way to Kaanth  for ‘Jalabhishek  at a Jatav temple in muslim dominated Akbarpur village from Haridwar this morning.  Sadhvi, who had contested the 2012 Assembly elections on BJP ticket, was among around 40 persons accused of inciting Muzaffarnagar riots through their provocative speeches.  

The epicentre of the trouble in Moradabad is a temple in Muslim dominated Akbarpur village belonging to the Jatav community. Trouble started last month after a section of villagers protested against installation of a loudspeaker in the temple. BJP will hold a march to Kaanth Police station on Saturday to lodge a FIR against the Moradabad SSP Dharamveer Singh Yadav while it will be countered by a Congress sponsored peace march to be led by AICC General Secretary Madhusudan Mistri. 

Meanwhile UP government is trying its best to avoid a similar clash with the BJP like on July 4 last in Kaanth and have persuaded the BJP leaders to postpone their march.  Senior police officials have met UP BJP president laxmikant Bajpai in lucknow on Thursday night over the Moradabad issue and tried to persuade him to postpone the march. But BJP spokesperson Vijay Bahadur Pathak said here on Friday that the BJP’s march would be total peaceful with just around 25 people mostly MP’s of west UP, legislators and local leaders would participate. “The UP government was making a fake hue and cry over the march but was not taking action against the SSP for unleashing atrocities against the BJP activists,” he alleged.

But a respite for the authorities, the Congress leaders would come from New Delhi on Saturday morning by road and hence they could be detained anywhere on the way. The state government has already issued a high alert over BJP and Congress march at Kaanth on Saturday and has rushed additional security forces to Moradabad and its adjoining districts to maintain law and order.” More than 20 companies of PAC have been rushed to Moradabad while large contingent of forces have been kept in reserve,” said Inspector General of Police law and Order) Amrendra Senger here on Friday evening.