30 Sena activists held in Varanasi

Varanasi, Jan 26 (UNI) At least 30 Shiv Sena activists attempting to hoist the National Flag atop the ASI protected riverside 'Madhavrao Ka Dharahra' monument were arrested from the Gaighat area here today.

Police said 30 Shiv Sena activists were held from the Gaighat locality under Kotwali police station here when they were trying to proceed to hoist the national tricolour atop the Madhav Rao Ka Dharahra at the Panchganga Ghat.

District Shiv Sena president Gulshan Kapoor said ''today being the Republic Day, we wanted to hoist the national flag on the Dharahra which is a national monument protected by ASI. But the police did not allow us to hoist the flag there and instead arrested the Shiv Sainiks.'' ''Historians say that a Bindu Madhav (Lord Vishnu) temple was built at the Panchganga Ghat in 12th century, but in 1673 it was razed to the ground by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb and a Dharahra mosque built in its place. After independence the ASI took the monument in its possession, but still on every Friday Muslims are allowed to offer namaz at the monument,'' Mr Kapoor alleged.

''If it is an ASI protected monument we should be allowed to hoist the national flag on it,'' Mr Kapoor maintained.

UNI