Pravin Togadia not allowed to visit Kandhamal

Bhubaneswar, March 16: The local administration in Orissa's Kandhamal district has not allowed the proposed visit of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Pravin Togadia to the area later this week, officials said.

The VHP leader was scheduled to go to visit Kandhamal during his visit to the state on Thursday.

"We have decided not to allow VHP leader Pravin Togadia to visit the district as the district is fast turning normal after the communal riots in 2008. His visit would not be good at this moment," Kandhamal District Collector Krishna Kumar said.

"We know that every time he comes, he gives provocative speeches. Anticipating trouble, we have not allowed his visit to the district," he said.

On the other hand, the VHP leaders have strongly opposed the administration decision, saying that that it is "undemocratic" not to allow Togadia to visit the district.

"We are yet to get in writing that the district administration has not allowed the visit. We will strongly protest the decision," VHP state unit secretary Gouri Prasad Rath said.