VHP to hold ''dharna'' to protest saint's arrest

Ahmedabad, Mar 20 (UNI) The Gujarat unit of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad will hold a state-wide ''dharna'' tomorrow to protest the arrest of Akhileshdasji in Bhavnagar town today.

Gujarat VHP general secretary Dr Jaydeep Patel, in a statement here, said the VHP will hold a state-wide ''dharna'' to protest Akhileshdasji's arrest.

The seer was arested today for allegedly possessing a ''trishul'' during the ''Shobha Yatra'', organised to mark the Ramnavami celebrations in Bhavnagar last year. The Bhavnagar police, Dr Patel alleged, had filed a complaint against Akhileshdasji at the behest of some political leaders and had declared him as absconding since then.

Dr Patel said the arrest is indicative of the ''double standards of the BJP'' since on the one hand, Mr L K Advani is organising a ''yatra'' to appease majority Hindus, the Narendra Modi Government, on the other hand, is arresting Hindu saints to appease minorities, particularly Muslims.

The VHP will not tolerate such double standards and will oppose the BJP on every platform, Dr Patel added.

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