New Delhi: Senior BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) leaders, including Murli Manohar Joshi and Sushma Swaraj, staged dharna and observed fast in New Delhi today (Nov 21, 2004) on the second day of their three-day nationwide stir to protest the police remand of Kanchi Shankaracharya.

Spotlight: Kanchi Jayendra Saraswathi's Arrest

Party leader Arun Jaitley, who sat along with them, told reporters that they had taken strong exception to the manner in which the Kanchi Seer was taken into custody by the Tamil Nadu Government.

Speaking on the occasion, Chairman of the Uttar Pradesh Urdu Committee S Khan said, "The country is religious, but not communal and the treatment meted out to Shankaracharya is an insult to the religious sentiments of the people."

Neela Shastri, President of Delhi unit of Mahila Morcha, said the Seer's religious importance should have been respected before arresting him.

President of Delhi BJP Harshavardhan claimed that their agitational programme was a big success.