VHP threatens government of massive agitation

KOCHI: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Wednesday warned that it would launch a series of massive agitations if the state government complied with the Kerala High Court order directing it to take over the control of the Padmanabhaswamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram.

“It is not the business of the High Court to interfere in the matter of Hindus. The High Court verdict is interfering with the internal affairs of Hindus. The temple administration should be managed by devotees through a democratic process,” VHP international general secretary Praveen Togadia told reporters here on Tuesday.

He said that the Sadhu Sangh and VHP activists would meet at Prayag on February 6 to chalk out the agitation plans. “We will be definitely organising a march of 1,000 sadhus to Thiruvananthapuram, the date of which will be announced later,” he said.

Togadia said if the government was taking over the temples, they should also take control of churches and mosques in the state.

Pulmedu stampede

About the stampede at Pulmedu, where 102 Sabarimala pilgrims died, he said that the state government should be held responsible as they had failed to implement adequate safety measures.

“The VHP appeals to form a people’s inquiry committee comprising eminent personalities from Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh to look into the circumstances which led to the tragedy at Pulmedu,” he said.

Saffron terrorism

On the Centre coining ‘saffron terrorism’, Togadia said, “No single Hindu has been convicted by the Supreme Court in connection with a terror case. So there is no reason why the Centre should frame words like saffron terrorism”.

He added that the VHP would urge the Centre to introduce reservation for Scheduled Caste (SC) students in institutions run by Christian and Muslim managements.

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