The Hindu : National : VHP protest against Sethu project hits traffic in some States

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Thursday, Sep 13, 2007
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VHP protest against Sethu project hits traffic in some States

Special Correspondent

LUCKNOW: Commuters had a harrowing time reaching their destinations in many parts of North India on Wednesday as hordes of Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bharatiya Janata Party activists blocked rush-hour traffic at important intersections as part of their nationwide protest against the government decision to go ahead with the Sethusamudram project near Rameswaram.

In Uttar Pradesh, VHP and Bajrang Dal volunteers disrupted road and rail traffic in many parts. There were unconfirmed reports of police lathicharge on the protesters in Gorakhpur and a few other places.According to a Home Department spokesperson, VHP members staged a “chakka jam” at Sant Ravidas Nagar around 8.30 a.m. The blockade was on for three hours. In Mirzapur, VHP men blocked traffic on the busy Grand Trunk Road for a couple of hours. In the State capital, “chakka jam” was staged at Nishatganj, Hussainganj crossing and Mawaiya, but the protest soon lost steam for want of numbers.

In Meerut, VHP volunteers sat on the rail track and blocked the Shatabdi Express for about two hours.

The protest was peaceful in Rajasthan. A three-hour blockade of roads and rail lines from 8 to 11 a.m. affected normal life.

In Gujarat, Sangh Parivar activists came out on the streets in almost all major cities and towns and on national highways, blocking traffic for two-three hours in the morning.

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