CHAOS IN KASHI
VARANASI: Violence erupted on Monday during the ‘anyay pratikar yatra’ taken out by seers in protest against the lathi-charge on sadhus and batuks (religious scholars) on September 23, prompting the police to impose curfew in four police station areas. The curfew was lifted late in the evening.
Divisional commissioner of police Nitin Ramesh Gokarn said action would be taken against rumour-mongers, especially those spreading messages through social networking sites.
Trouble started when antisocial elements set a police booth and six vehicles, including two police jeeps, on fire. The troublemakers also indulged in stonepelting, injuring six policemen and four others. A photographer of a leading daily was also hurt. The police force personnel resorted to cane-charge and lobbed tear gas to disperse the mob.
Earlier, the yatra led by Swami Avimukteshwaranand of Vidya Math began from the town hall park. Following the violence, Swami Avimukteshwaranand and Swami Balakdas stopped at a temple near Godowlia. Thereafter, the seer along with other sadhus moved towards Dashashwamedh Ghat at around 6pm for the conclusion of the yatra. Heavy police force has been deployed at the Godowlia intersection and the routes leading to it from Maidagin, Sonarpura, Benia and Luxa have been sealed.
Before starting the ‘pratikariyatra ’ , Swami Avimukteshwaranand said the seers would ‘uproot’ the state government if CM Akhilesh Yadav did not apologise to batuks and sadhus for the lathi charge. He clarified that the yatra was against injustice and not against any individual or organisation.
At the same platform, Sadhvi Prachi dubbed the UP government as ‘Kansa’ destined to meet its fate. The seer, however, intervened when Sadhvi Prachi tried to raise the issue of Muslim appeasement referring to the Dadri lynching and the victim’s family being given a compensation of ` 45 lakh by the state. The seer clarified that no word against any caste, creed, community and organisation would be raised.