New Delhi: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on November 17 announced it would change the form of its 'Padpadshahi Yatra' in Gujarat following arrest of its senior leaders Praveen Togadia and Acharya Dharmendra but asserted it would maintain peace at all costs.

"The yatra would now take the shape of public meetings and rallies in different parts of Gujarat," VHP senior vice-president Acharya Giriraj Kishore told reporters.

Kishore, however, said VHP's other planned programme including a public meeting in Ahmedabad on December 6 to mark the 10th anniversary of the demolition of the disputed structure at Ayodhya would remain unchanged.

The 'Vijay diwas (victory day)' meeting would be addressed among others by VHP chief Ashok Singhal.

"Our programmes would be peaceful and violence would not be allowed at any cost," Kishore said.

Refusing to criticise the Narendra Modi government for the arrest of its leaders and stoppage of the yatra in Ahmedabad earlier on November 17, he said, "The state government was under compulsion due to the Chief Election Commissioner's directives. We don't want to oppose it and hinder the Hindutva forces."

PTI