Togadia tests PM’s trust: warns riots if VHP stopped

When he was asked if he was threatening the government, Togadia said: ‘‘I am only apprising the government of the position.’’

The VHP general secretary made these remarks as reports came in of a massive crackdown in Uttar Pradesh on kar sevaks trying to enter Ayodhya. Trains have been diverted and bus routes changed to keep the kar sevaks out of Ayodhya and Faizabad.

When a reporter asked Togadia why was he not criticising Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani, he said Vajpayee was the head of the government and ‘‘I feel the Prime Minister is directly responsible for any atrocity on Hindus.’’

When it was pointed out to him that the deployment of forces was the job of the Home Ministry, the VHP leader attacked the Prime Minister for ‘‘not stopping the repressive action against Hindus’’ and claimed that over 10,000 people had been arrested.

‘‘Vajpayee should decide whether he is supporting Mulayam Singh Yadav or the Ram bhakts. People will not tolerate double standards,’’ he said, accusing both leaders of ‘‘repression on Hindus.’’

Togadia warned the Centre that the Ram temple movement, which had dislodged the Congress from power, could do the same even today to ‘‘those who carry out repression of Hindus.’’

Maintaining that visiting Ayodhya was the ‘‘constituional and religious right’’ of Hindus, he said people from three lakh villages had already left their homes for Ayodhya.

‘‘Have Hindus in Hindustan lost their rights to visit Ayodhya or have a darshan of Ramlalla,’’ he questioned, expressed indignation over the arrest of the Ayodhya-bound at Jhansi, Kanpur, Allahabad, Varanasi, Mughalsarai and Lucknow.

Describing their detention as ‘‘illegal’’, he said no food or water was provided to them and there were no toilet facilties either.

‘‘The authorities are treating us as if we are in Pakistan,’’ he said.

Pointing out that security forces had been brought to UP from Jammu and Kashmir ‘‘as if Ram bhakts are more dangerous than terrorists,’’ he said if they were fired upon, Vajpayee would be responsible.