New Delhi: Describing Chief Election Commissioner J M Lyngdoh as "anti-Hindu", Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on November 13 announced its activists would defy the ban on its proposed "yatra" in Gujarat and court arrest, even as Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) sought to play it safe saying the party was committed to free and peaceful polls.

Terming as "unfortunate" the decision of the three-member poll panel, VHP senior vice-president Acharya Giriraj Kishore said, "It is an infringement of our fundamental right. Lyngdoh's actions show his anti-Hindu bias."

"Upto now, we have decided to defy the ban order and court arrest," he said.

Kishore said senior office-bearers were meeting in Ahmedabad later on November 13 night to take a final decision on the issue.

Asked about the Gujarat government report which prompted the Commission to make the move, he said the report was "influenced" by Lyngdoh.

Meanwhile, reacting to the ban, BJP spokesman Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the party would arrive at a view after studying the Election Commission's decision.

"We in BJP are committed to the holding of the December 12 elections in a free, fair, peaceful and cordial atmosphere," Naqvi said.

Apparently with an eye on Gujarat polls, VHP had on November 12 announced plans to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the demolition of the disputed structure at Ayodhya on December 6 as "vijay diwas" (victory day) in a "big way".

PTI