VHP activists detained after attempt to enter Taj Mahal premises to chant 'Hanuman Chalisa'

Agra, Feb 16: The police here stopped members of right-wing outfits from entering the Taj Mahal premises and reciting 'Hanuman Chalisa' there as a mark of protest over the 'hijab' row that continued to simmer in Karnataka.

The protesters demanded that people be restrained from wearing dresses according to their faith in schools and colleges and sought strict action against those creating ruckus in the name of 'hijab'. Circle officer, Sadar, Rajeev Kumar said the protesters were stopped from entering the Taj Mahal at Shilpgram parking.

"We have received a memorandum and forward it to the competent authority. The memorandum was presented about the ongoing 'hijab' protest," he said. Asheesh Arya, the vice-president of Vishwa Hindu Parishad's Braj region said, "We had announced to chant 'Hanuman Chalisa' in the Taj Mahal as we consider it as 'Tejo Mahalay' (Shiva temple) while wearing saffron clothes. But the police stopped us."

"At various points in Agra, workers of VHP, Sewa Bharti and Durga Vahini were stopped by the police. I along with members of Sewa Bharti and Durga Vahini chanted 'Hanuman Chalisa' at Hariparwat police station after being detained by police," he told PTI.

Bhawna Sharma, from 'Sewa Bharti' said, "We wanted to chant 'Hanuman Chalisa' in the Taj Mahal premises peacefully. We told the police that we would buy tickets, but we were stopped ahead of the Taj Mahal at the parking." "The aim was to register a protest against the ongoing 'hijab' row because schools have a dress code and every student should follow it," she added.