Mumbai: Essential services will be spared during the VHP (Vishwa Hindu Parishad)'s nationwide bandh tomorrow (Nov 22, 2004) to protest the arrest of Kanchi Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswathi.

"We will ensure that essential services like health, milk, electricity and water services are not affected due to the bandh," VHP Maharashtra unit general secretary, Prof Vynkatesh Abdeo told in Mumbai.

Spotlight: Kanchi Jayendra Saraswathi's Arrest

Entire Hindu community will express its feelings over the "unjust" arrest of Shankaracharya by participating in the bandh, he asserted.

The daylong bandh will begin from midnight tonight (Nov 21, 2004) and will end at 18:00 hrs (IST) tomorrow, he said adding, Vidarbha region has been spared from the strike as a bandh has already been observed there.

The VHP leader said the bandh has support of the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh), ABVP (Akhila Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad) and the Bajrang Dal.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray has refused to comment on the party's stance over the agitation.

"No comments", was the Sena chief's reply in the party mouthpiece "Saamna" today.

But VHP sources claimed that Sena as well as the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) will be participating in the bandh. "Maybe these parties are not openly supporting our call in view of the recent Bombay High Court verdict, slapping fine on these two parties for giving a bandh call to protest bomb blast in the metropolis," a senior VHP leader said.