Nagpur: Demanding handing over of "undisputed" land at Ayodhya to Vishwa Hindu
Parishad (VHP) to pave the way for construction of the temple, its leaders have
alleged that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) abandoned the temple issue
after "hijacking" it for political gains.
Addressing a rally at Nagpur on March 4 night, VHP general secretary Praveen Togadia
and working president Ashok Singhal said, "BJP had hijacked the VHP supported
agitation to gain political mileage. But after assuming power they discarded the
issue. Not only that, they are now carrying forward the game of minority appeasement
and treating Hindus as second class citizens."
The VHP leaders are here to attend Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha of the Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), beginning on March 7. Sadhvi
Ritambhara also spoke at the public rally.
Warning that if the government failed to hand over the 67 acres of land to them,
a "decisive battle" would be launched, they also made it clear that the deadline for
temple construction set at last month's 'dharam sansad' (religious congregation),
would not be postponed.
As per the programme finalised at the 'dharam sansad', nationwide awakening
programmes would be conducted till March 25 and a huge rally would be held at New
Delhi on March 27.
While Singhal and the Sadhvi were harsh on BJP leaders, especially Deputy Prime
Minister L K Advani and questioned the intentions of BJP leaders on the temple
issue, Togadia's speech was laced with anti-minority references.
Singhal also demanded a total ban on cow slaughter and a Central Legislation to ban
religious conversions and checking of inflow of foreign money for this purpose.
PTI
