Pravin Togadia says forced to quit Vishwa Hindu Parishad, announces fast

Pravin Togadia, the face of Vishwa Hindu Parishad since several years, claimed on Saturday that he was compelled to quit the outfit by "people high on power", but insisted that he would continue to fight for the rights of Hindus.

Togadia, who was connected with VHP since 32 years, and was international president since long, quit VHP after the saffron outfit witnessed its first elections in 52 years. He said the elections were held with the purpose to see him out of VHP.

"I was in VHP. Today, I am not its part. I am ending my 32-year-yatra in VHP. I have not left VHP. I have been compelled to leave. Those high on power have crushed truth and religion in an attempt to muzzle Hindus' voice," Togadia told reporters.

The firebrand leader, the original 'Hindu Hriday Samrat' before Narendra Modi's emergence on the political scene in the early 2000s, questioned what his crime was, and said that he had only raised Hindus' voice in last 32 years.

Responding to questions, Togadia said that he was being pressurised since six months to drop the demand for a law for building Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

"I chose not to betray Hindus. I said I will not drop the demand for a law for the temple," he said, claiming that he had recorded evidence of this, and would release it at an appropriate time.

Togadia also announced that he would go on an indefinite fast in Ahmedabad for his demands for Hindus, youths, farmers, women and workers.