Sainiks held for trying to hoist national flag on ASI monument

Varanasi, Aug 15 (UNI) At least 35 Shiv Sena activists, on way to hoist the national flag atop an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) protected monument, were arrested from the Kotwali area here today.

Led by District President Gulshan Kapoor, the saffron brigade activists were nabbed from the Bhaironath area, while proceeding to Panchganga Ghat on the banks of the Ganga river to hoist the national tricolour on the ASI-protected Madhavrao's Darahara.

''The Dharahara is in reality a Vishnu temple, which was demolished in the Mughal period to build the Alamgir Mosque, where every Friday, the Muslims are allowed to offer namaz, despite the entire property now being an ASI protected national monument,'' Mr Kapoor alleeged.

''We were marching to the monument to hoist the national flag on the Darahara as like any other ASI-protected national monument it should also have the Indian flag fluttering on its top, but the police, like in the past, prevented us from accomplishing our mission,'' he added.

Meanwhile, cops at Kotwali police station said ''the Shiv Sainiks were arrested to prevent any untoward incident on the Independence Day. They were later set free after filling personal bonds''.

UNI