Top VHP leaders Pravin Togadia and Ashok Singhal were arrested on Sunday in a massive crackdown by the UP administration to enforce its ban on the controversial yatra, which was inaugurated by the saffron outfit in Ayodhya.
While Togadia was arrested from Ayodhya, Singhal was taken into custody at Lucknow airport.
Singhal, who was not allowed to come out from the airport, asked, “Why am I being arrested, what crime have I done...They should tell me. There is Mughal rule in Uttar Pradesh, where saints and seers are being stopped from worship.”
Togadia said demonstrations would be staged all over the country on Monday against the ban by the UP government on the ’Chaurasi Kosi Parikrama Yatra.’
“This is not a political yatra but a religious one and ban or oppression resorted to by the government would not be tolerated at any cost,” he told reporters.
“This movement would reach each and every village of the country and tomorrow protest dharnas would be staged at district headquarters all over the country,” Togadia said.
Condemning the arrest, BJP spokesman Vijay Bahadur Pathak said the arrests were unfortunate as yatra was a religious affair and nothing to do with politics.
Earlier, Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas Committee Chairman Nritya Gopaldas inaugurated the yatra by walking ten steps outside his temple before he was detained.
“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 from Ayodhya.
“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 yatra,” ADG, Law and Order, Arun Kumar said.
A curfew-like situation is prevailing in the town as shops have been shut and Naya Ghat area has been cordoned off.
Temporary jails have been set up by the government in Faizabad, Barabanki, Bahraich, Basti, Gonda and Ambedkarnagar, which lie in the yatra route.