National   

LJP wants Togadia arrested under POTA

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI OCT. 21. Terming the outburst of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader, Parvin Togadia, against the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, as the outpourings of a sick mind, the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) today demanded a ban on the VHP and the arrest of Mr. Togadia under POTA for trying to divide society on religious lines. It also announced its backing for Ms. Gandhi as the next Prime Minister of the country.

Addressing a press conference here, the LJP vice-president, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, who also indicated his softening of stand on the Sheila Dikshit Government in Delhi, said the Delhi unit of the party would hold a massive demonstration outside the resident of the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, on October 27 to lodge its strong protest against the utterances of VHP leaders and to demand an immediate ban on the VHP and the arrest of Mr. Togadia.

Mr. Bidhuri said the foreign origin of Ms. Gandhi was no longer an issue and those raking it up were doing it out of sheer frustration.

He also announced that the party would work for an alliance with the Congress in Gujarat Assembly polls, and if that did not work out, the Lok Janshakti Party president, Ram Vilas Paswan, would campaign for the Congress.

Mr. Bidhuri said the manner in which Mr. Togadi had used vulgar language against the Congress president clearly indicated that the Sangh Parivar could stoop to any level even if it meant adopting uncivilised acts. Ms. Gandhi was a member of the Nehru-Gandhi family which had made several sacrifices for the nation. The uncultured and uncivilised language used by Mr. Togadia was a shameful act and had no place in a civilised society. The actions and words of Mr. Togadia, which aimed at destroying the secular fabric of society, needed to be condemned in the strongest possible terms by all like-minded people.

The LJP leader said Hinduism was known for tolerance and brotherhood and a handful of discredited and disillusioned individuals or organisations could not speak on behalf of the entire community. His party, under the leadership of Mr. Paswan, was fully backing the candidature of Ms. Gandhi for the post of the Prime Minister without any reservations.

Asked why he had stopped criticising the Sheila Dikshit Government, Mr. Bidhuri said the situation of six months ago no longer prevailed. The changing political alignments had changed the focus. "Wherever I go I hear people praising the Sheila Dikshit Government. There is hardly any criticism about her policies and programmes. So why should I protest?"

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• 'Ties with Iran multi-faceted'
• Cong. will not form minority govt.: Azad
• 'No compromise on security along border'
• No change in Maran's condition
• 'IAF to become air and space force'
• BJP rebels step up activity in U.P.
• Emigration fee revised
• Prize instituted for Third World scientists
• Sinha blames Pak.
• Plagiarism: Nobel laureates write to President for action against VC
• BJP to launch series of campaigns
• ITBP for road network on LAC
• LJP wants Togadia arrested under POTA
• It was a general passing remark, says Togadia
• Killing of Dalits: NHRC notice to Haryana Govt.
• Badlapur 'peaceful,' 50 arrested
• 'Govt. should not attempt to write history textbooks'
• Hawk sale only 'mentioned in passing'

Copyright © 2002, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu