VHP Calls Kandhamal Bandh Saturday Protesting Ban on Togadia

27 Feb, Bhubaneswar

Odisha unit of VHP has called a dawn-to-dusk Kandhamal bandh tomorrow, Saturday in protest against the district authority’s refusal to allow the former’s International General Secretary Pravin Togadia, to address religious convention .

In a bid to prevent Togodia from holding any public meeting in Phulbani, the district authority has clamped prohibitory orders under section 144 CrPc in the entire Kandhmal district for a week.

It has also deployed forces at strategic points to avert any law and order problem.

Kandhamal Collector N Thirumala Nayak said the prohibitory orders have been imposed in view of the apprehensions of a breach in peace and public order,following the visit of Togadia.

Security in the district has been beefed up and police patrolling intensified after the VHP called for a Kandhmalbandh tomorrow to protest Togadia’s entry in Kandhamal.

State VHP leaders criticised the action of district authority on imposing a ban on the visit of Togadia,while allowing other minority leaders to visit the area inthe past.

Sources said the VHP Odisha unit has decided to go aheadwith the scheduled meeting in Phulbani, as it had alreadyobtained permission to hold the meet, but it was not clearas to whether Togadia will visit Phulbani to address theVHP rally.

OM Thursday , a four-member VHP delegation boycotted the meeting convened by the Collector to persuade the VHPleaders not to allow Togadia to address the rally tomorrow.