Antony defends ban on Togadia

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal">THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A day after the district collector issued order barring VHP leader Praveen Togadia from visiting the state capital on April 10 to address a rally here, Congress and CPI-M demanded a statewide ban on him while the pro-VHP Hindu Aikya Vedi held that Togadia would turn up to attend the programme defying the ban.<br /><br />Defending the Collector''s order, Chief Minister A K Antony said Togadia''s visit was banned this time as the VHP leader had violated the conditions set during his tour to the trouble-torn Marad area and nearby Kozhikode last year.<br /><br />KPCC acting president P P Thankachan wanted the Government to extend the ban on Togadia throughout the state as there was possibility of the VHP leader "making provocative speeches" during his visit.<br /><br />Terming the decision to restrict Togadia from entering the state capital as "just eye wash", CPI-M state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan said in a statement that Government should order a statewide ban on the VHP leader if it was sincere about its concern.<br /><br />In an interview to a private channel, Antony said Togadia had violated conditions set by law enforcing authorities last time and so he was not being allowed this time.<br /><br />Dubbing the ban "undemocratic and violation of citizen''s freedom," the Hindu Aikya Vedi leader and VHP state secretary Kummanam Rajasekharan said Togadia would address the rally as scheduled.<br /><br />Meanwhile, district collector K R Muraleedharan said the law would take its course if the ban was defied by the VHP leader. <br /><br /><formid=367815></formid=367815></div> </div>