Togadia held at Ajmer gates for defying trident ban

VHP leader Pravin Togadia was arrested today near Ajmer for defying a Rajasthan government ban on distribution, possession and carrying of t...

VHP leader Pravin Togadia was arrested today near Ajmer for defying a Rajasthan government ban on distribution, possession and carrying of tridents in the state except at religious places.

Togadia said tonight that he was arrested ‘‘under the direction and pressure’’ of Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

‘‘Rajasthan is the sole state which has banned the religious symbol of Lord Shiva on the advise of Congress president, Dhawan and George…We will make it a Waterloo for the Congress in this state’’, said Togadia over the phone from Gegal police station.

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‘‘I am in police custody and have not been told about the charge against me’’, the VHP leader said, adding, ‘‘I have given trishul diksha to 150 activists and the Dharam Sabha was attended by 20,000.’’

Togadia was stopped from entering Ajmer this evening as he was going to attend the Dharam Sabha and trishul diksha in a convoy of 10 vehicles, IGP (Law and Order) A.K. Jain said.

VHP senior vice-president Acharya Giriraj Kishore said: ‘‘The government itself had clarified there was no ban on tridents with less than six-inch blades.’’ The VHP has given a call for a Rajasthan bandh on Tuesday, he said.

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