Lucknow: Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) international general secretary Praveen Togadia on March 22 advocated a ban on the famous Islamic educational institution 'Dar-ul- Ulum' at Deoband, dubbing it as "the source of terrorism in the country".

Addressing Bajrang Dal workers after they were administered 'trishul diksha' on March 22 evening, he said, "The Talebans, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, Azhar Masood and Saudi fugitive Osama bin Laden are all Deobandis."

"Had there been no Deoband and Taleban, there would not have been the World Trade Centre and Godhra (attacks)," Togadia said.

"The Indian branch of Deoband is the 'Tableegi Jamat', which was responsible for the Godhra carnage," he said and claimed that Maulvi Umerji, who was the main culprit behind the Godhra carnage, was connected with the 'Tableegi Jamat'.

He said, "The master key to the safety of both the Hindus and Muslims lies in closure of Deoband."

Togadia alleged that Mahatma Gandhi had "surrendered meekly" before the supporters of the division of the country at the time of independence and said the Nehruvian secularists and the Marxists also had lent support to such forces.

"The options before the country is to either choose the path of Gandhi, Nehru and the Marxists or the path shown by Shivaji, Savarkar and Hedgewar. The country will see formation of another Pakistan if we follow the first path. If we follow the second, we can ensure our own safety and even divide Pakistan into many parts," he said.

Claiming that the ancestors of the majority of the Indian Muslims were Hindus, who had accepted Islam because of atrocities, Togadia appealed to them to re-convert.

PTI