New Delhi, Oct. 8: The Union cabinet was tonight said to be divided over imposing central rule in Orissa and banning the Sangh parivar sword arms blamed for the attacks on Christians.

UPA allies like Lalu Prasad and Ram Vilas Paswan, aided by Congress secular spearheads like Arjun Singh, are learnt to have demanded central rule and a ban on the Bajrang Dal and the VHP.

Before the cabinet met, Congress leaders suggested that the party was keen on a ban but they were sceptical whether the government would bite the bullet and risk a backlash that could benefit the BJP.

At the cabinet meet, sources said, home minister Shivraj Patil came under attack when he suggested that a ban in haste could backfire in a tribunal as in the case of the one dealing with Simi. Patil said that strong evidence could not be found against the Sangh outfits in Orissa, drawing rebuke from Lalu Prasad who asked the home minister what internal security agencies were doing all this while.

Patil then said efforts would be stepped up to gather the evidence, the sources said.

On President’s rule, other allies like the DMK, PMK and the NCP opposed the proposal. The regional parties have been traditionally opposed to the use of Article 356.

Nun rape arrest

The prime accused in the alleged rape of a nun in Orissa’s Kandhamal has been arrested, police said. The man arrested has been identified as Somanath Pradhan. The state government said it was trying to locate the nun who had told television channels she could identify her alleged attacker.