New Delhi: The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) has threatened to launch “a battle” against the Delhi Police if any action is taken against its workers in connection with the Jahangirpuri violence during a Hanuman Jayanti procession.
This comes after the police said it has registered an FIR against the organizers for taking out the procession without permission and arrested a VHP leader Prem Sharma. The police, however, withdrew the statement later, citing that IPC section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) is a bailable offense and the VHP leader was let off after questioning.
Later, the police issued a revised statement that did not name the VHP and the Bajrang Dal.
Usha Rangnani, Northwest Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) told PTI that an FIR was registered against organizers for carrying out a procession on Saturday without permission and one accused person was investigated.
“We have learned that an FIR has been registered against VHP and Bajrang Dal activists, and one of the activists has been arrested as well. They (police) have done a big blunder,” said Vinod Bansal, national spokesperson of VHP.
Rejecting police claim that the procession was taken out by the organizers without permission, he called it “absurd” saying, it seems the police have bowed down before “Islamic jihadis”.
“If there was no permission, how police personnel in such a large number were accompanying the yatra (procession)?” Bansal questioned. VHP is “a law-abiding organization”, he said adding that leveling such an allegation against it and its activists raises many questions about the functioning of the police. VHP will not “tolerate such things.”
The Hindutva member warned that “VHP will launch a battle if they (police) try to lodge a false case or pick any of its activists.”
—PTI