VHP leaders shifted to Etah jail, activists burn CM Akhilesh Yadav's effigy

LUCKNOW: The arrested senior Vishwa Hindu Parishad leaders were shifted to Etah jail amid tight security arrangements while the outfit's activists staged protest demonstrations at different places in Uttar Pradesh against yesterday's massive crackdown on 84-kosi parikrama in Ayodhya.

Faizabad District Magistrate Vipin Dwivedi, while interacting with reporters here today, cited "shortage of space" behind shifting VHP leaders Pravin Bhai Togadia, Ram Vilas Vedanti and former BJP MLA Lallu Singh to Etah district jail.

Others, arrested yesterday, were shifted to Lucknow. The VHP activists, led by national organising secretary Dinesh Kumar, initiated a dharna at the Collectorate office in Lucknow, while reports reaching here said that demonstrations were also staged in Barabanki, Allahabad and Shahjahanpur districts.

While the "dharna sthal" at Faizabad Sadar was cordoned off by the security personnel, activists defied prohibitory orders in Etah and raised slogans against the Akhilesh Yadav government and burnt his effigy at Etah.

According to information reaching here, activists submitted a memorandum addressed to the President through respective district magistrates.

Meanwhile, saints, who had opposed the timing of the Parikrama, led by Mahant Bindu Gaddacharya Devendra Prasad Acharya of Ramkot, performed "Shuddhi--Buddhi yagna" to pray for wisdom for the VHP leaders.

However, police said tight security was still in place though life started to limping back to normalcy in the twin temple towns of Ayodhya and Faizabad.

Yesterday, the state government arrested and detained over 2,000 VHP leaders and sadhus all over the state to foil the 84-kosi parikrama which it had banned earlier.