AHMEDABAD:

leader Pravin Togadia said on Tuesday that he was not running away from the law and attempts are made to muzzle his voice.

Togadia was found unconscious in a hospital in Shahibagh locality in Ahmedabad late on Monday after being reported "missing" earlier.

The police said he was brought by people to a private Chandra- Mani hospital in an unconscious state, which the doctors claimed was caused by low level of sugar.

Togadia said that Central Intelligence Bureau is behind the recent police cases against him.

“I was at the VHP office on Monday, performing morning puja, when someone told me that police are coming to kill me in an encounter. At that time, I did not pay heed. After some time, I got a call that a team of

accompanied by

is coming from Sola. I am not a person who would be afraid to die but I feared its consequences in the country. Thus, I immediately left the office with a karyakarta (VHP worker) in an auto,” said Togadia.

He stressed that he did not flee as he informed police on duty that he was leaving the office. Togadia added that on the previous day, he had returned from a function in Mumbai at about 1.30am and thus had asked the security personnel, part of his Z-plus security cover, to return at 2.30pm.

“I then went to a person’s residence in Thaltej who is not part of VHP. I then contacted the chief minister and home minister of Rajasthan about the police action as I was not aware of any such case against me. They assured me that there was no such police team sent to arrest me in their knowledge. I then immediately switched off my mobile phones and contacted the lawyers in Rajasthan. They advised me that if the warrant is issued by the judiciary, I should appear before the court,” said Togadia.

He said that he has always respected judiciary and if he had been informed about the case, he would have willingly come to the court – as he has done in the past. Togadia claimed that he has not received any summons or warrants claimed by police in the past.

“I did not want to get in hands of Rajasthan police. There is a conspiracy to arrest me in one case or another and send me from prison to prison to suppress me. I thus decided to go to Rajasthan and appear before the court. I hailed an auto and started off for the airport. When we reached near (Galaxy) underpass, I felt uneasy with dizziness and profuse perspiration. I told the auto driver to take me to Dhanvantari Hospital in Bapunagar. I don’t remember anything after that,” said Togadia.

Togadia said that he has been given heavy dose of medicine and would require some time to recuperate. He had also come before the media with a drip attached to his hand.

Togadia got emotional while talking about the ‘conspiracy against him.’ “I have been voice of Hindus for a long time. I have no complaints against the Gujarat Police or Rajasthan Police. But even in the past when a summon was issued against me in Gujarat, the chief minister or home minister did not know about it. Is it possible? Who, then, is responsible for the calculated re-opening of old cases against me? I will not get bogged down and continue serve the community,” he said.

Earlier, the police said he was brought by people to a private Chandra- Mani hospital in an unconscious state, which the doctors claimed was caused by low level of sugar.

He was admitted in the hospital around 9.20 p.m. and later his condition was stated to be stable, the police said.

The police, however, still have no idea how the VHP leader reached Sardarnagar which was about 15km away from the VHP office from where he reportedly left in an autorickshaw. It was also not clear why he fell unconscious as he had no past history of sugar levels falling so alarmingly.

Earlier, the Ahmedabad Crime Branch said it had constituted a special team to look for the Vishwa Hindu Parishad Pravin who went missing amid allegations that the Rajasthan Police took him away.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the umbrella body of all saffron outfits, in a one-line statement also expressed concern over the "goings-on around Togadia" and hoped the state government and the police would initiate immediate action.

"Whatever happend in BJP you are aware. Law and order situation has worsened in the state. Investigation must be carried out in Pravin Togadia's allegations. Gujarat BJP leaders are busy in fighting for lucrative portfolios. Farmers are not getting water," Solanki said.

(With inputs from IANS)