Pravin Togadia to float new political party, contest 2019 LS polls

At a time when the Ram temple issue is heating up in the country, firebrand right-wing leader and former Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) president Pravin Togadia announced that he would soon float a new political party that would contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Togadia, who currently heads the Antarrashtriya Hindu Parishad (AHP), said the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has betrayed the people over the temple issue. He was addressing the ‘sankalp rally’ on the banks of the river Saryu in Ayodhya.

"The people who swore in the name of Ram temple have managed to make a Rs 500-crore office for themselves in New Delhi, while Lord Ram continues to live under the open sky, in a tent," he said.

Togadia said his party would field candidates against the 'anti-Hindu' forces in the parliament elections. “Our entire focus would be to reclaim Ayodhya, Kashi and Mathura,” he said.

Togadia slammed the BJP for "ignoring" the interests of Hindus, by not doing enough to ensure a grand Ram temple is constructed at the disputed site. Hindus will now vote for a Hindu government and the BJP will be defeated, he said.

"Like me, thousands have been betrayed by the BJP over the issue of construction of a grand Ram temple in Ayodhya and we will punish the BJP in the 2019 general elections," he said.

The Hindutva leader said he would also demand that the minority status given to Muslims be scrapped.

Meanwhile, the supporters of Togadia clashed with police after the former broke the boundary barricades of the disputed Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid premises, trying to enter the area.

After the clash, all roads to Ayodhya were blocked by the police. The police had to use force to disperse the mob, said officials, adding that the roads were opened after conditions became normal.

With inputs from agencies