More articles by

Nandini Oza
Nandini Oza

AHMEDABAD

Togadia demands law to construct Ram temple in Ayodhya

PTI3_26_2017_000111A Vishwa Hindu Parishad working president Pravin Togadia addresses a Hindu sammelan in Ahmedabad | PTI

The VHP leader also demands subsidies for Hindus, like Muslims

Vishwa Hindu Parishad international working president Dr Pravin Togadia renewed the demand for construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya.

Addressing a “Hindu convention” at Ahmedabad's GMDC Ground on Sunday, he said that the Ram temple should be constructed on the lines of Somnath temple—by bringing a legislation in Parliament. 

He reminded the gathering that Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel did not engage in deliberations with Muslims to construct the Somnath temple. Instead, a law was passed in the Parliament, he said.

"If the government does enact such a law soon, get ready to march to Ayodhya," said Togadia,

Togadia, a Patidar, who had remained silent during the stir by the Patidars for reservation, attempted to be a “masiha” of sorts for the Patels and other communities. He questioned as to why the Patel, Rajputs and other communities could not be given free education when around 95 lakh Muslims children got free education in the state. 

Togadia also questioned the government over the subsidy being given to Muslims for Haj. He asked when Muslims get Rs 22,500 for Haj, why Hindus do not get subsidy to undertake religious tours to Somnath or Dwarka.

An immediate law banning cow meat and export of cow meat, waiving off debts and interest of Hindu farmers, deporting illegal immigrants of Bangladesh within six months, a time frame for giving employment to unemployed youth and a common code for population control were among the 12 charter of demands put up by Togadia on Sunday.

The common code for population was targeted at the Muslims as he said that if they did not follow the norm of one wife and two children, they should not be given ration card and facilities of health and education. They should also be not given voting rights and Aadhar card, he added.

In his address, Togadia announced various schemes for poor Hindus, such as "ek mutthi anaj (a fist of foodgrains)" scheme which envisages collecting grains as donations from people for mass distribution among the needy. He also announced education and employment schemes.

The Hindu convention is seen as an attempt to appease certain sections of the society that are unhappy with the state government and to bring Hindutva back to the fore ahead of the assembly elections in the state by the year end. Leaders of various walks of lives had opposed the VHP convention.

Much before Prime Minister Narendra Modi became popular and had taken over as Gujarat chief minister in 2001, there was an invisible race of sorts between him and Togadia for the title of “Hindu Hirdaysamrat”. That Modi surged ahead in the race is an open secret.

This browser settings will not support to add bookmarks programmatically. Please press Ctrl+D or change settings to bookmark this page.
Topics : #Hindu | #RSS | #Pravin Togadia

Related Reading