Monu Manesar's arrest will cost Congress 'heavily' in Rajasthan polls: VHP

New Delhi: The Vishva Hindu Parishad on Tuesday described Monu Manesar as an "innocent gau-bhakt" and alleged that the Congress government in Rajasthan got him arrested ahead of assembly polls in the state with an eye on Muslim votes.

Cow vigilante Monu Manesar, who was booked by the Rajasthan Police for the murder of two Muslim men in February and is also accused of inciting communal hatred in his home state Haryana, was arrested Tuesday, officials said. He was handed over to the Rajasthan Police after it obtained a transit remand for him from a court in Haryana's Nuh. The arrest was made by the Nuh police, reportedly in Gurugram's Manesar.

In a statement, Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) working president Alok Kumar said his arrest by the Rajasthan Police will cost the ruling Congress "heavily" in the state.

The VHP will provide all possible help to Monu Manesar and "if necessary, will also protest" against his arrest, he added.

"Innocent 'gau bhakt' Monu Manesar has been arrested by the Rajasthan Police, whereas it had considered him innocent some time ago," Kumar claimed. "'Gau bhakt' Monu has been arrested for the Muslim vote bank in the elections, which will cost them (Congress) heavily," he added.

Monu Manesar, whose official name is Mohit Yadav, was accused by some of being a trigger for the July 31 episode, in which a Vishva Hindu Parishad procession was targeted by mobs in Nuh - leading to the deaths of six people in that district and neighbouring Gurugram.