Swaroopanand is backed by Congress, alleges VHP

Lucknow, Nov 7 (UNI) Describing the effort of Dwarkapeeth Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand to start a dialogue with Muslims on Ayodhya issue as the 'move with Congress backing', the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) today called for Hindu unity to counter the move.

''This is uncalled for and meaningless which will be vehemently opposed by the sant community and Hindu population,'' VHP's international President Ashok Singhal told reporters here.

A 'Virat Sant Sammelan ( massive saints conference)' has been convened on November 19 to chalk out a strategy to foil the Shankaracharya's designs to create ''communal disharmony'' during his proposed 'Parikrama' of Ram Lalla at Ayodhya on November 30, he claimed. He said that he, however, respected the Dwarkapeeth.

Reiterating that the grand Ram temple would be constructed at the very site in Ayodhya where the makeshift temple existed, the VHP leader also announced to observe December one to six as a 'week of pledge' to make the people aware about importance of the temple, which according to him was symbol of nationalism and ''Bharatiyata.'' ''The government must come forward to make way for the construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya,'' he asserted.

UNI SB/NAB SK ND1416