New Delhi: Vowing to intensify its agitation to protest the arrest of Kanchi Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswathi, VHP (Vishwa Hindu Parishad) today (Nov 19, 2004) called for a countrywide bandh on November 22 even as it said it was apprehensive about the safety of the Hindu Seer in police custody.

"The Shankaracharya will be in police custody for three days. We are afraid he will be tortured. People have a right to know who is taking the responsibility of his security and what he is being fed in jail. We have even heard that he is being fed inedible stuff," VHP president Ashok Singhal told reporters in New Delhi.

Spotlight: Kanchi Jayendra Saraswathi's Arrest

While a bandh has been called on November 22, a day earlier, over a thousand saints from Hardwar will take out a march in the capital to protest the arrest of the Shankaracharya and also meet President A P J Abdul Kalam asking him to intervene in the matter, Singhal informed.

However, Kerala and Vidarbha are exempted from the strike call as a bandh has already been observed in these areas.

Singhal, who was talking to reporters at VHP's `Diwali Milan' programme, also welcomed the decision of BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) leaders to sit on dharna to agitate against the Seer's arrest, but did not desist from criticising the leaders, including Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L K Advani, for "abandoning the Hindu community."

"It is indeed deplorable that the Shankaracharya, the most revered religious leader of the Hindus, is being treated like a petty criminal," he said and alleged that the arrest was an act of "vindictiveness" of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.

"We have learnt from a Supreme Court advocate that the Kanchi mutt refused to sell a hospital to Sasikala, who is close to Jayalalithaa, and this could be a reason behind the arrest," Singhal said.

Noting that there have been media reports that the murder of Sankararaman could have been carried out by a mafia that was after some property of the mutt, he said the Tamil Nadu Government was using the incident against the Shankaracharya.

Not sparing the Centre and UPA (United Progressive Alliance) chairperson Sonia Gandhi on the issue, Singhal said it was not possible that the Kanchi Seer's arrest from Mehboob Nagar was carried out without the knowledge of the Union Government.

"We all know who the super PM is. And she is a Christian. On account of being a foreigner, she should have made an effort to establish good relations with the Hindu organisations. Instead, she has always been opposed to the Sangh Parivar," he said.