: The administration imposed restrictions on the entry of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Pravin Togadia into Kandhamal district of Odisha for seven days from Thursday.
Speaking to The Hindu , Kandhamal Superintendent of Police (SP) Kanwar Vishal Singh said Mr Togadia has been prohibited under Section 144 of the CrPC to enter the communally volatile Kandhamal district. This restriction on Mr Togadia would continue till March 4. Mr Togadia was scheduled to attend a public meeting of the VHP in district headquarter town Phulbani on February 28.
But the Christian community of Kandhamal district had urged the government and administration to ban the entry of Mr Togadia into the district with the plea that his ‘hate’ speech may destroy the communal amity in the region. Kandhamal district administration also called a meeting with VHP leaders on Thursday to persuade them to abandon the plans of Mr Togadia’s public meeting. A four member delegation of the VHP took part in this meeting chaired by Kandhamal Additional District Magistrate (ADM) P.K.Sahani, which was attended by other administrative and police officials.
According to VHP leader Priyanath Sharma, the administration pointed out that due to Maoist threat on Mr Togadia’s life and chances of repercussions of his inflammatory speech, he was not being allowed to enter Kandhamal. “But we feel administration is curbing fundamental rights of Mr Togadia in unconstitutional manner,” Mr Sharma said. The VHP has already got permission for its public meeting in Phulbani on Feb 28, which may not be attended by Mr Togadia after recent restrictions imposed on his entry into Kandhamal district.
