Mumbai: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) president and former Bihar Chief Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav on November 15 welcomed the Election Commission's decision to ban the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP)'s proposed "padshahi" yatra from Godhra to Ahmedabad on November 17.

"The ban is a step in the right direction," Yadav said and demanded that President Abdul Kalam Azad should impose a similar ban on all the frontal organisations of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) which he alleged were fanning communal passions among the people of different communities.

Yadav said the EC was a Constitutional body and it had a right to ban programmes of those organisations which were allegedly violating the Constitution.

The former Bihar Chief Minister also demanded arrest of the leaders of frontal organisations of RSS under Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) for allegedly causing communal flare-ups.

He said VHP international general secretary Praveen Tagodia and caretaker Chief Minister of Gujarat Narendra Modi should be taken to task for allegedly creating communal tensions by delivering provocative speeches.

PTI