The Hindu : National : Nationwide protests over Kanchi Acharya's arrest

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Monday, Nov 15, 2004

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Nationwide protests over Kanchi Acharya's arrest

KOLKATA, NOV. 14. Criticising the arrest of the Kanchi Sankaracharya, Sri Jayendra Saraswathi, hundreds of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) activists today took to the streets here as part of its nation-wide programme, demanding his immediate release by the authority "which had hatched a conspiracy" against him.

"The pre-planned action against the septuagenarian seer is condemnable and it inflicts insult to the Hindu community as a whole," the VHP's State president, Debananda Brahmachari, said, urging the Union Home Minister, Shivraj Patil, to ensure the Acharya's immediate release.

Describing the arrest as "highly motivated and a conspiracy of the Government," the Brahmachari alleged that a section of "interested quarters was involved in such a conspiratorial game to tarnish the image of the seer."

They later submitted a memorandum to the Governor, Viren J. Shah.

The VHP and Bajrang Dal activists today staged `dharnas' in several districts of Madhya Pradesh to protest the arrest of the Acharya and demanded his immediate release.

The protests were held in Bhopal, Datia, Gwalior, Harda, Sehore, Burhanpur and other districts, the VHP State secretary, Anand Goel, said here.

ABAP to launch agitation

A report from Hardwar said the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad (ABAP) had threatened to launch a country-wide movement from November 16 if the Government failed to ensure the immediate release of the Acharya.

The ABAP decided at a meeting yesterday that lakhs of sadhus and sants associated with the 13 akharas and mutts in Hardwar would court arrest on November 16, the general secretary of the ABAP, Swami Permanand Saraswati, said.

Rally in Jammu

In Jammu, VHP activists today took out a rally to protest against the Acharya's arrest. Demanding his `honourable' release, the activists raised slogans and burnt effigies representing the United Progressive Alliance Government the Tamil Nadu Government and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.

Activists of the Bajrang Dal, the Matri Shakti, the Durga Vahini, the Brahman Sabha, the Sanatan Dharam Sabha, the RSS, the Rajput Sabha, the Mahajan Sabha, the Khatri Sabha and the Ravi Dass Sabha also participated.

Followers demand release

In Mumbai, a meeting was held at the Sankaracharya Mutt yesterday, addressed by Gangadarendra Saraswathi, the Sankaracharya of Sondaswarnavali Samsthanam. He appealed to the Centre and the Tamil Nadu Government to immediately release the Acharya "or face adverse law and order situation."

Gangadarendra Saraswathi said he felt "distressed" at the turn of events and lambasted politicians, particularly the DMK supremo, Karunanidhi, for the Acharya's arrest.

Decries arrest

A report from Ayodhya said the president and managing trustee of the Ayodhya Jama Masjid Trust, Allamma Syed Asghar Abbas Rizvi, today decried the Acharya's arrest and termed it the result of a "political conspiracy."

The VHP's Guwahati unit president, Umakanta Sarma, said that a meeting was held yesterday to discuss the circumstances leading to the arrest. It condemned the Centre and the Tamil Nadu Government's role in it.

In Varanasi, about 200 activists of the VHP and other saffron organisations led by the Kashi Sumeru Peeth Sankaracharya, Swami Narendranand Saraswati, staged a demonstration near Assi Ghat, pledging to intensify their agitation if the arrested pontiff was not released at the earliest.

— PTI, UNI

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