VHP calls for nationwide bandh

Essential services will be spared during the Vishwa Hindu Parishad's nationwide bandh on Monday to protest against the arrest of Kanchi Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswathi.

"We will ensure that essential services like health, milk, electricity and water services are not affected," VHP Maharashtra unit general secretary, Professor Vynkatesh Abdeo, said in Mumbai.

The Shankaracharya's arrest: The full coverage

Hindus will express their feelings over the "unjust" arrest by participating in the bandh, he said.

The daylong bandh will begin from midnight and end at 6pm, he said.

The bandh has the support of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad and the Bajrang Dal, he added.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray refused to comment on the party's stance over the agitation.

But VHP sources said that the Sena as well as the Bharatiya Janata Party would participate in the bandh. "Maybe these parties are not openly supporting our call in view of the recent Bombay high court verdict, slapping fine on these two parties for giving a bandh call to protest against bomb blasts in Mumbai," a VHP leader said.