84-kosi yatra: Forces conduct flag march in Ayodhya, arrest warrants issued against 70 VHP leaders
The VHP's proposed 84-kosi yatra in Ayodhya, due to start from August 25, has already been banned by the state government.
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The national, state and local level leaders of the VHP against whom arrest warrants have been issued include its chief Ashok Singhal, Ram Vilas Vedanti and Pravin Togadia. While leaders who have already arrived in Ayodhya are being arrested, entry of others has been banned in the temple town.
Senior officials, led by additional director general of police Arun Kumar, are camping in Faizabad. Several police teams are conducting raids in 'hide-outs' of the leaders in Faizabad and adjoining areas. The police have already detained 20 odd VHP activists but some senior leaders have gone underground.
The VHP leaders, who are adamant to continue with parikrama, have also chalked out a plan to defy security arrangements and reach the venue by August 25 from where the yatra is scheduled to begin. They have announced to carry out yatra at all cost and have dared the SP government to stop them.
Meanwhile, chief minister Akhilesh Yadav has cancelled all his programmes and is said to be monitoring the situation from Lucknow. Senior SP leader and minister Azam Khan said that yatra is aimed to communalise UP'satmosphere in favour of the BJP in the run up to the next year's Lok Sabha elections.
Senior SP leaders also tried to play down the yatra, saying that there is no support for the VHP at the ground level. Security arrangements have been made to stop VHP leaders from disturbing law and order. They also said that the motive of yatra is political and many Hindu seers are opposing it.