Delhi police drops VHP and Bajrang Dal from its statement in Jahangir Puri violence

New Delhi, Apr 18 (PTI) The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Monday threatened to launch "a battle" against the Delhi Police if any action is taken against its activists in connection with the violence during a Hanuman Jayanti procession in Jahangirpuri.

This came after police said it has registered an FIR against the organisers for taking out the procession without permission, and arrested a person, identified as Prem Sharma, who is a local VHP leader.

However, the statement was later withdrawn by the police, citing that Indian Penal Code section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) is a bailable offence and the person who had joined the investigation was let off after questioning.

The revised statement issued by the police did not name the VHP and the Bajrang Dal.

Northwest Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Usha Rangnani said that an FIR was registered against organisers for carrying out a procession on Saturday evening in the area without permission and one accused person has joined the investigation.

Reacting sharply to the police action, VHP national spokesperson Vinod Bansal told PTI, "We have learnt 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." He rejected as "absurd" the police claim that the procession was taken out by the organisers without permission and said it seems 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)?" he asked.

Bansal said the VHP is "a law-abiding organisation" and levelling such an allegation against it and its activists raises many questions on the functioning of the police.

The VHP will not "tolerate such things" he said "VHP will launch a battle if they (police) try to lodge a false case or pick any of its activists," Bansal warned.

Bansal accused the Delhi Police of "high handedness", saying "all of a sudden, it withdrew a permission granted to a procession which was scheduled to be taken out on Monday."

"Also, yesterday in the morning, police forcefully stopped a yatra (procession), taken out from Bhalsawa village, about 100 metres before the point where it was scheduled to conclude," he alleged and asked, "What is this?".