New Delhi: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on September 24 night called a "Bharat bandh" on September 26 in protest against the attack on the Swaminarayan Temple in Gandhinagar even as the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) urged the people of Gujarat to maintain peace and not to fall prey to the designs of anti-national terrorists.

"The VHP and Bajrang Dal have decided to observe Bharat bandh against the attack and jihadi terrorism. Only health services would be exempted from the purview of the bandh," VHP secretary and in-charge of Bajrang Dal Surendra Jain said over phone from Rohtak.

VHP president Ashok Singhal described in Kanpur the Gandhinagar temple attack as "more serious" an incident than Godhra carnage and said such actions would recur if timely measures were not taken.

PTI