The Hindu : Bihar sends back Togadia

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Aug 16, 2003

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Bihar sends back Togadia

By K. Balchand

PATNA Aug. 15. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad general secretary, Praveen Togadia, was today sent back immediately on his arrival at the Jaya Prakash Narain International Airport here, on apprehensions of law and order problems. The Patna District Magistrate, Deepak Prasad, and the City Superintendent of Police, O.N. Bhaskar, served him an order to the effect on the tarmac itself and handed him a return ticket to Delhi.

They informed him that prohibitory orders had been clamped around the airport and his programmes in the State were banned. Mr. Togadia took the same flight back without even meeting his supporters. The airport was cordoned off and passengers had a harrowing time.

The VHP supporters who gathered outside the airport premises were rounded up. The State Government had taken particular exception to a flag hoisting function arranged for him at the Saraswati Vidya Mandir School located in the sensitive Phulwarisharif area dominated by the minorities and also a "trishul diksha ritual".

The RJD president, Laloo Prasad Yadav, said the Government would not tolerate any attempt at breaking the unity of the country or disturbing the prevailing harmony.

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