Drop all cases and release Shankaracharya: VHP Thursday, December 2 2004 16:30 Hrs (IST) - World Time
Chennai:
The VHP (Vishwa Hindu Parishad) today (Dec 2, 2004) demanded the immediate release of the Kanchi Shankaracharya, Jayendra Saraswathi from prison and dropping of all cases against him, stating that police had so far not collected any evidence with regard to his involvement in the Sankararaman murder case.
VHP working president Ashok Singhal told a press conference in Chennai the police had failed to collect any evidence of the Seer's role in the case. "That is why it is jumping over to other irrelevant cases to malign the fair name of the Acharya and the Kanchi Mutt," he said.
He demanded that the Tamil Nadu Government tender an apology and withdraw the cases against him.
Singhal said that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, in a bid to save her government from being 'toppled', had ordered the arrest of the Seer. The Chief Minister, he alleged, had succumbed to pressure from several quarters, including Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
There was an 'international conspiracy' against the Acharya, in which Jayalalithaa had played a role, he said and added that the she would have to pay a heavy price politically for the Seer's Arrest.
He said the Chief of the team probing the case, K Premkumar, would not be able to investigate the case properly, as he has already been convicted by a Fast Track court at Madurai. He was also facing several cases and the Madras High Court had indicted him twice, Singhal alleged.
"How can you expect a fair investigation from such a person?" he asked.
More News
