Ban on Praveen Togadia may create division on religious lines: Manas Bhuniya

KOLKATA: Senior Congress leader Manas Bhuniya today said the ban on the entry of Vishva Hindu Parishad leader Praveen Togadia into West Bengal might create a division on religious lines.

Bhuniya, a former state Congress President, said, "No ban can resist a leader who is followed by many for his ideals on Hindu nationalism," adding whether such a ban would not create a clear division in the state on religious lines.

"Can she ( Mamata Banerjee) be able to resist him (Togadia) from propagating his ideals by imposing such a ban? Will her government be able to keep him away from his followers by promulgating such a ban?" Bhuniya said.

"There can be a political battle against his ideals and opinions. Ban could never yield any solution," he said.

Suggesting to the Chief Minister "to be democratic and secular" and "to give due regards to the opposition political parties," Bhuniya said, "Then all social menaces will disappear on their own."

West Bengal government yesterday banned the entry of the VHP leader Togadia into the state fearing "communal tension and disruption in public tranquillity."