UP elections 2017: Unite, vote for party that promised Ram temple, VHP tells Hindus
Speaking to mediapersons, VHP’s prant organisation secretary Bhulendra said that if BJP comes to power in Uttar Pradesh, the path for building the Ram temple will become clear. Speaking to mediapersons, VHP’s prant organisation secretary Bhulendra said that if BJP comes to power in Uttar Pradesh, the path for building the Ram temple will become clear.
A DAY before 67 constituencies go to polls, RSS offshoot Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Tuesday urged Hindus to unite and vote for a party that has included Ram temple, ‘Gau Raksha’ and protection of the community in its election manifesto. The appeal was made from Lucknow, the centre of VHP’s Awadh Prant, where polling is scheduled on February 19. Ayodhya, the location of the makeshift Ram temple, falls in the same prant.
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Speaking to mediapersons, VHP’s prant organisation secretary Bhulendra said that if BJP comes to power in Uttar Pradesh, the path for building the Ram temple will become clear. “…Election of MLAs would strength us in the Rajya Sabha and help in the passage of bills… we would also get our own President…,” he claimed, while adding that if BJP did not build the Ram temple, VHP may kick off another karseva.
“The community should support the party, which could protect their religion, society and culture… Only BJP speaks about Hindus and the protection of Hindu religion,” Bhulendra said, while identifying Prime Minister Narendra Modi with ‘Hindutva’. His government is working on issues related to the community, he claimed. “Speaking about protection of Hindus is called a crime and communalism, while speaking in favour of Islam and Christianity is called secularism,” Bhulendra claimed, adding that the current election was a “dharma yudha” and hence, such an appeal was being made to Hindus.
“Those who do not like slogans such as ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai and the song, ‘Vande Mataram’, should go to a place where they would not hear the slogan and India’s national song. Otherwise, they will have to follow the Constitution and the country’s system,” he said.
Claiming that Hindus were still being converted, Bhulendra said VHP was working towards ‘ghar wapsi’ of such people. “Paravartan to hum karenge hi (We would definitely re-convert),” Bhulendra said, alleging that “while western UP has become Kashmir, eastern UP has become Jammu”.
“The government should formulate a policy to prevent religious conversion,” Bhulendra said while hoping that the Modi government would work on such issues.
Asked whether he was appealing for polarisation of voters, Bhulendra said: “If Islam is united, then Hindus should also get united and vote. This is not an election to choose MLAs or the chief minister, but it is for future of the Hindu community. If the community loses this opportunity, it will be left behind.”