Mulayam responsible for disrupting harmony between Hindus and Muslims in UP: Ashok Singhal

Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) patron Ashok Singhal on Friday charged Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Mulayam Singh Yadav of disrupting harmony between Hindus and Muslims living in Uttar Pradesh.

"Mulayam Singh is hypnotised and as a minister he is the one who incited violence and disrupted peace in Muzaffarnagar. His party had sown the seeds of hatred between Muslims and Hindus in Uttar Pradesh. Why is he doing all this? Why are believers of Hindu God, Ram, being attacked today?" he asked.

Meanwhile, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) veteran M. G. Vaidya criticized the Akhilesh Yadav-led Uttar Pradesh Government for imposing a ban on the VHP's 'Sankalp Diwas' programme, and said that Hindus voting for the Samajwadi Party will lose faith in the party.

"Banning the rally is a part of the vote bank politics of the Samajwadi Party. They are trying to woo Muslims by banning such rallies. However, I think this will not make even Muslims happy. I am sure that those Hindus who vote for the Samajwadi Party will also lose faith in the latter," he told media in Nagpur.

Samajwadi Party leader Naresh Agarwal, however, defended the state government on the issue.

"The Uttar Pradesh Government will not tolerate any act that disrupts the communal harmony in the state. We will act strictly against such elements," he said in New Delhi.

Heavy security arrangements are in place in the temple city of Ayodhya. Security has been also tightened along Uttar Pradesh's borders with Bihar and Jharkhand and even Madhya Pradesh.

The state government has arrested more than 1,500 VHP activists in different parts of the state who were trying to reach the temple city of Ayodhya for the 'Sankalp Diwas' programme today.

The police arrested BJP MP Yogi Adityanath today from Gonda with his supporters while he was trying to proceed to Ayodhya. Nearly 1200 VHP activists have been taken into custody from Karsevak Puram, Digambar Akhara and Hanuman Garhi of Ayodhya.

Around 2,000 personnel of the Rapid Action Force and the Provincial Armed Constabulary have been deployed to help the local police maintain law and order.

The Samajwadi Party Government has banned VHP's 'Sankalp Diwas' fearing a communal flare-up.

The decision has been taken, according to reports, in view of security concerns, especially after the recent communal clashes in Muzaffarnagar and the surrounding areas.