VHP story

While pushing for Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi as the BJP’s prime ministerial nominee in the Lok Sabha polls scheduled next year, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) will focus on the creation of a “Hindu vote bank” and seek to revive the demand for a Ram temple at Ayodhya. An announcement in this regard is expected to be made at the “Dharma Sansad” of Hindu holy men organised by the VHP during the Kumbh Mela at Allahabad, where it will be discussed.

Union home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde’s comments about terrorist training being imparted at Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) and BJP camps and the draft communal violence bill are also expected to be taken up and the VHP will also press for a cow protection law to be enacted across the country.

“A Hindu vote bank must be created. How will Hindu religion, Hindu culture be protected without this? There are attempts afoot to finish off the Hindus. Hence, Hindus must learn to be assertive,” VHP leader Venkatesh Abdeo told DNA.

“We will launch a public awareness campaign in this regard. Cent percent Hindus must come forward to vote,” he said, adding that this would ensure that the governments of the day would be beholden to Hindus for their support.

The Sangh Parivar constituent also plans to revive the Ram temple agitation, which had provided the BJP a springboard to political relevance in the late 1980’s. “We believe that the Ram Janmabhoomi issue can be sorted out only by passing a law in Parliament,” said Abdeo.

Abdeo said that the ‘Kendriya Margadarshak Mandal’ of the VHP would meet on February 6, followed by a ‘Dharma Sansad’ the next day, where Hindu holy men were expected to make announcements in this regard.

“The sants will make an announcement about this, which will be implemented by the VHP,” he added. “This Kumbh will give a separate turn to the (politics of) the country,” Abdeo claimed, adding that leaders from the Buddhist and Sikh communities would also attend the meeting.