Wednesday, January 19 2005 16:32 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kalavai (TN): VHP (Vishwa Hindu Parishad) has proposed to organize a five-day-long 'Yagna' for world peace from Feb 1, 2005, culminating in a public meeting in Chennai on Feb 6, 2005.

The public meeting, which is expected to be attended by one lakh people, would protest against the arrest of Kanchi Seers, Jayendra Saraswathi and Vijayendra Saraswathi and also demand an apology from the State Government, VHP international Vice-President, S Vedantham, told reporters after calling on Jayendra Saraswathi, who is still maintaining 'moun vrata' after his release on bail.

He said VHP President Ashok Singhal, senior BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) leader, Dr Murli Manohar Joshi and the head of the Pejawar Mutt in Karnataka would attend the concluding day Yagna and also participate in the protest public meeting.

The meeting would also demand the "unconditional release" of the Shankaracharyas from the cases filed against them, Vedantham said.

Referring to the "confusion" created by RSS (Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh) chief, K S Sudarshan's reported statement on the possibility of a new Shankaracharya being appointed, Vedantham said, 'It was a case of communication gap.'

'As per the traditions of the Mutt, only the Seers who had obtained diksha can do the poojas. Already two Shankaracharyas are there. Therefore, there is no question of appointment of a third Shankaracharya,' he added.

Asked when Jayendra Saraswathi would break his 'moun vrat' (vow of silence), Vedantham said he might continue it till 90 days' period (for filing chargesheet) was over and added that it was his personal opinion and the Seer had not told him anything on this subject.

Asked whether Jayendra Saraswathi would undertake any tour of North India, Vedantham said he might do so after a month or so. 'The Seer had come to his Guru's place here (Kalavai) and is doing Poojas and involving himself in 'dyan' and praying for the welfare of the people, particularly those affected by Tsunami.'

Vedantham said being a 'sanyasi', Jayendra Saraswathi 'does not have any likes or dislikes' towards anyone and therefore, he had no hatred even against those who had filed cases against him.

Asked about the summons issued to him by the special police team probing the Sankararaman murder case, he said it was part of the Government's efforts to prevent any dissenting voice over its action against the mutt.

Commenting on the interim findings of the U C Banerjee committee on the Godhra carnage, he said the previous commission headed by Justice Nanawati had said there was conspiracy in the incident.

But the present panel, headed by Justice U C Banerjee, within a month of its constitution had found no conspiracy.

'It is nothing but political and to please some persons. This has been done with a political motive keeping in mind the elections in Bihar and other states,' he said.