Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 21: Jammu police today prevented VHP international president leader Dr Praveen Bhai Togadia for entering the State and detained him at Jammu Airport here, fearing his presence would create law and order problems.
“I have been detained at the Jammu Airport and not allowed to move out of the complex,” the Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader told reporters.
“I was served notice by the Additional Deputy Commissioner Jammu which said that I will not be allowed to enter Jammu as it will create law and order problem,” Togadia said.
The VHP leader said, “they did not allow me to exercise my Fundamental Rights as a citizen of India.”
Togadia said, he told authorities there was not a single instance of his visit or speech creating a law and order problem in Jammu and Kashmir or anywhere in the country.
But State officials citied Togadia’s visit to Rajouri district on March 4 last year where his provocative speech had triggered tension between two communities.
Police had then filed a case against Togadia for allegedly hurting the sentiments of a community.
“I was on two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir to hear complaints of community about J&K Government’s discrimination in jobs, employment, education, trade, security and religious rights,” he said.
District Development Commissioner Jammu, Sanjeev Verma said Togadia was not allowed to come out of the airport and has been sent back.
Outside the airport, activists of VHP and Bajrang Dal raised anti-Government slogans saying that Togadia was not even allowed to meet them. They also strongly condemned the State Government action and termed it a curb on the democratic rights of the VHP leader.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah has justified the action of administration of not allowing the VHP leader to enter the State. In his tweet Chief Minister while justifying the action said that those who wonder why Dr Togadia was sent back should recall the situation in Rajouri after his last visit where communal clashes took place later.
Dr Abdullah said these clashes were the result of virulent speeches that the VHP leader made during his visit to the State. To prevent the situation from taking any ugly turn curfew was imposed for days together in Rajouri, the Chief Minister added.
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