Saint fasting in Ayodhya for Ram temple detained

Lucknow: Mahant Paramhans Das of Tapasvi Chavni in Ayodhya who had been on indefinite fast demanding construction of Ram temple for the past seven days was detained by the police in the early hours of Monday.

The mahant was taken to a local hospital and then shifted to the SGPGI in Lucknow after his condition began to deteriorate.

The mahant was picked up by the police at around 1 am, a few hours before the arrival of former VHP leader Pravin Togadia.

The heavy police force entered the premises of Tapasvi Chavni temple after cutting power supply and used force to remove sadhus sitting in support of the mahant. When the saint tried to oppose police action, he was dragged and forcefully thrown in the police vehicle.

Police action took place after UP minister Satish Mahana met the mahant. “I have come here as an emissary of the chief minister and if the Mahant wants to meet the chief minister, I will arrange the meeting,” he said.

Meanwhile, the mahant told reporters that the minister had offered to arrange a video conferencing with chief minister Yogi Adityanath. “But I want to talk to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and ask him to facilitate temple construction,” he said.

Former VHP leader Praveen Togadia told reporters that if the police had to pick up Mahant Paramhans Das due to health issues, they should have taken him in a stretcher and not dragged him out.