In view of the recent communal violence in Sangareddy in neighbouring Medak district and the prevailing uneasy calm in the Old City, police are likely to deny VHP leader Praveen Togadia permission to participate in the Hanuman Jayanthi rally on April 6.
It is learnt that VHP and Bajrang Dal activists are determined to ensure Praveen Togadia’s participation in the celebrations. Police have already started making preparations for bandobust and the issue of Praveen Togadia’s participation was also discussed. To pre-empt any trouble, the VHP international working president might be taken into preventive custody, sources said.
The city police are also pointing to the communal clashes that rocked Rajouri town of Jammu and Kashmir following Praveen Togadia’s inflammatory speech there recently. Curfew was imposed in the town for several days as the situation went out of hand.
Besides the Sangareddy incident, tension had gripped the Old City a few days ago when some persons brought to the notice of police about a morphed photograph of a place of worship posted on FB. Police got the content deleted by contacting FB management. They claimed they could avoid escalation of tension and the situation from turning violent since the issue was taken up by Darsgah Jihad-O- Shahadat (DJS), a radical organisation.
Meanwhile, VHP and Bajrang Dal leaders said Togadia should be allowed to participate in the celebrations. “There is no need for police permission. Is there any ban on Praveen Togadia? We will definitely take up the rally with the participation of Togadia,” Bajrang Dal city president N Vinod said. VHP international president G Raghava Reddy told TOI: “We are hopeful that police will permit Praveen Togadia since it is a peaceful rally.”
–Agencies