Ultra Hindu group recites Hanuman Chalisa, seek renaming of Qutub Minar

NEW DELHI:  Members of right-wing groups, United Hindu Front and Rashtrawadi Shiv Sena, on Tuesday recited Hanuman Chalisa outside Qutub Minar, as they protesting seeking the monument’s name to be changed to ‘Vishnu Stambh’.  

The protesters were, however, detained by the police for “not having permission” for the same. The protestors bearing saffron flags and sashes with placards raised slogans demanding renaming of the monument built by Mughal emperor Qutubuddin Aibak in 1193. They also demanded that the Hindu idols inside the monument be taken out and placed in the right manner.

Heavy police barricading was seen outside the ASI-protected monument to prohibit entry. Protesters were asked to move to Bhool Bhulaiya, another monument, a few metres away to protest. But refusing to move, the police detained and loaded them into buses.

Jai Bhagwan Goyal, international working president of the United Hindu Front and national president of the Rashtrawadi Shiv Sena, who was initially supposed to lead the protest, alleged that he was kept under house arrest at his home in Shahdara till late afternoon. 

“We wrote to the Delhi Police seeking permission for the protest a week ago, but there was no response. On Tuesday, the SHO and ACP Vijay Nagar did not allow me to step outside my house. They had orders from the police chief that I should not be allowed to reach the spot,” said Goyal.

Protestors refuse to move, police detains them
There was heavy police barricading outside the complex.Protesters were asked to move to Bhool Bhulaiya, another monument, a few metres away to protest. But they reused to move, hence, the police detained them.