M A I N   N E W S

VHP firm on Hindutva

Pune, December 25
Unfazed by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s attempts to sober them on the Hindutva issue, the VHP today asserted it would not allow the BJP to budge “even an inch” from the ideology and cautioned that the organisation should not be taken for granted.

“We will not allow the BJP to deviate from the ideology of Hindutva”, VHP International General Secretary Praveen Togadia told reporters on the sidelines of crucial meet of the Sangh Parivar outfit beginning in the city.

Mr Togadia said “on the stand of Hindutva we will not hesitate to confront even our Bhishma Pitamaha.”

Asked whether the Bhishma Pitamaha which he was referring to was the Prime Minister, Mr Togadia said: “It is best if this is left for the people to guess”.

“We want to make it clear that we will not be bonded labourers for any party. We will remain committed to the Hindutva cause and the parties which support our ideology should not budge from Hindutva”, he added.

Asked whether the VHP was feeling that prior to Gujarat elections the organisation was being taken for granted by the BJP, Mr Togadia gave an affirmative reply and said the Hindutva ideologies of Shyamaprasad Mukherjee and Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay were indeed diluted.

“It will be best if the BJP returns to the ideology of Shyamaprasad Mukherjee and Pandit Deenadayal Upadhyay while the Congress returns to the ideology of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel”, he said.

On Mr Vajpayee’s reported statement that India was already a Hindu Rashtra so the question of making the country a Hindu Rashtra as envisioned by the VHP does not arise, Mr Togadia said “we are thankful to the Prime Minister for that statement”.

“We take it as full endorsement of VHP’s vision of Hindu Rashtra. The Prime Minister’s statement has made our work considerably easier. Our half work is done”, he added. “Now that the Prime Minister has acknowledged that this is a Hindu rashtra it would be good if others also acknowledge it” the VHP leader said adding that “I now want the Congress to spell out their stand on Hindu rashtra”. PTI