New Delhi: Accusing the Orissa Government of not taking any action, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad today demanded immediate arrest of those involved in the killing of Swami Laxmanananda in Kandhamal district of the state.

VHP leader Pravin Togadia said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has been "surprisingly inactive" in taking action against the accused as he did not want to offend "certain people."

"The Orissa Government failed miserably to take action against the killers of Swamiji. We will not tolerate this," he said addressing a rally here to pay tribute to those killed in police firing on this day in 1966 while demonstrating near the Parliament against cow slaughter.

Togadia also demanded immediate arrest of all those involved in the killing of the VHP leader.

Kandhamal district witnessed widespread violence after the assassination of the VHP leader on August 23.

The VHP leader also criticised the Maharashtra government for arresting Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur and Lt Col Srikant Prasad Purohit in connection with the Malegaon blasts.

Addressing the gathering, RSS Chief K S Sudarshan demanded framing of a law to ban cow slaughter and appealed to the gathering to strengthen the movement for cow protection.

BJP's Chief Ministerial candidate in Delhi V K Malhotra said if voted to power he will take stringent measures to stop cow slaughter in the city.

He said no hotels in the city will be allowed to serve beef.

Various speakers from religious bodies also addressed the rally organised by Rastriya Godhan Mahasangha and demanded complete ban on cow slaughter and a separate ministry for cow protection.
Source : PTI