By TCN News,
Ayodha (UP): Noted peace activist and priest Yugul Kishore Shashtri was released at mid night and safely escorted till Ram Janki temple.
Shashtri was taken into ‘prohibitory’ custody here on Saturday afternoon (11 January) by the Uttar Pradesh (UP) Police claiming that he is ‘threat to peace and order’ in the city.
The scheduled programme People’s Panchayat of January 12 (Sunday) on the issue of attack on Shrine of Sheesh Paighambar. The shrine was attacked on 20 December 13, in which a student Zeeshan was also killed.
After his release, Yugal Kishore Shahstri, who has been working for communal harmony for over 23 years now, expressed his shock at the arrogant and communal actions of the administration.
According to his close aide and local activist, Shah Alam, the arrest is result of his sustained campaign to expose the communal elements involved in the attack of shrine of Sheesh Paighamar and murder of Syed Zeeshan alias Danish.
“This shows the communal nature of police and administration,” said Alam. “The role of police and local administration is not been very doubtful since beginging of the investigation,” he added.
Rights groups and activists have condemned the arrest and demanded his immediate and unconditional release. Those present in today’s programme called it a “murder of democracy.”
Shahstri, an ex-RSS pracharak himself and resident of Hanuman Garhi has been working on communal harmony. He has been an eyewitness of the demolition of Babri Masjid.
All India Secular Forum, in a press statement, said, “The communal nature of UP Government is becoming more and more obvious from quite some time. Its handling of Muzzafarnangar violence and the relief has been a painful fact, it’s a shame on our democracy, Samajvadi party claims to be secular but its actions are very opportunist and communal.”
Socialist Party of India condemned the arrest and demanded an enquiry into the murder of Zeeshan.
Shahstri, an ex-RSS pracharak himself and resident of Hanuman Garhi has been working on communal harmony. He has been an eyewitness of the demolition of Babri Masjid.
Meanwhile, at the people’s panchayat it was decided to hold a bigger people’s meeting at the district headquarter on January 16, where rights activists from across country would participate.
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