Vishwa Hindu Parishad on Thursday claimed that the 84-Kosi parikrama, which started symbolically on 25 August because of ban imposed by Uttar Pradesh government, has picked up and reached its scheduled destination Gosaiganj, Bhitaura.
VHP national general secretary Champat Rai said in an official statement in Ayodhya that the parikrama was underway by selected sadhus and saints without coming to the notice of the security personnel. ‘After making a night halt in Ayodhya region and passing through Darshan nagar, Shring Rishi area, it reached Gosaiganj, Bhitaura this morning as per the schedule,’ he said.
Rai said that even after ‘police atrocities and illegal detention of the sadhus and saints,’ VHP was committed to complete the parikrama as per the Hindu religious ritual. However, the state government officials maintained that neither the 84-Kosi parikrama started on 25 August nor is it continuing.
More than 5,000 policemen were still deployed in six districts after UP government banned the yatra on 19 August after terming it as a political agenda.
On 25 August, more than 2,600 VHP leaders and sadhus were arrested in different parts of the state, when they tried to join the parikrama. Most of them have been released after the Allahabad high court said arrested person under section 151 of the IPC in violation of the section 144 of the CrPC cannot be detained for more than 24 hours.
On the other hand, Pethadhashwar Abhichatinya Brahmachari, who was not allowed to come out of his ashram in Amethi district, was on indefinite fast since Tuesday.
VHP national general secretary Champat Rai said in an official statement in Ayodhya that the parikrama was underway by selected sadhus and saints without coming to the notice of the security personnel. ‘After making a night halt in Ayodhya region and passing through Darshan nagar, Shring Rishi area, it reached Gosaiganj, Bhitaura this morning as per the schedule,’ he said.
Rai said that even after ‘police atrocities and illegal detention of the sadhus and saints,’ VHP was committed to complete the parikrama as per the Hindu religious ritual. However, the state government officials maintained that neither the 84-Kosi parikrama started on 25 August nor is it continuing.
More than 5,000 policemen were still deployed in six districts after UP government banned the yatra on 19 August after terming it as a political agenda.
On 25 August, more than 2,600 VHP leaders and sadhus were arrested in different parts of the state, when they tried to join the parikrama. Most of them have been released after the Allahabad high court said arrested person under section 151 of the IPC in violation of the section 144 of the CrPC cannot be detained for more than 24 hours.
On the other hand, Pethadhashwar Abhichatinya Brahmachari, who was not allowed to come out of his ashram in Amethi district, was on indefinite fast since Tuesday.