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Showing posts with label Praveen Togadia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Praveen Togadia. Show all posts
March 30, 2017
March 28, 2017
India: BJP preparing for the Gujarat Assembly polls - Could VHP leader Pravin Togadia be the next Chief Minister
scroll.n 28 March 2017
Sangh politics
As the BJP starts preparations for the Gujarat polls, is Pravin Togadia the new Yogi Adityanath?
A day after communal clashes in the state, the VHP leader spoke of Hindu grievances and Muslim appeasement.
As the BJP starts preparations for the Gujarat polls, is Pravin Togadia the new Yogi Adityanath?
Ajaz Ashraf
Commentators reprimanding liberals for criticising Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath are advised to release the hot air of political correctness after examining what happened in Gujarat this past week.
Though the Assembly elections in that state are still nine months away, the Sangh Parivar has begun preparing for it as only it can – by communalising the electorate and bringing out Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Pravin Togadia, arguably the most venomous of all rabble-rousers, to spin yarns of Hindu grievances and Muslim appeasement.
Indeed, Togadia is to Gujarat what Adityanath had been to Uttar Pradesh until his newfound status of chief minister had the commentariat forget his past and discover in him virtues that even he might not have thought he possessed. To ensure the commentariat class doesn’t commit the same mistake of lavishing praise on Togadia, as it is now doing on Adityanath, it is imperative to monitor Gujarat’s journey to the elections till the very end.
This journey, it will be remembered, began with two people dying and 10 being injured, five of them critically, when a scuffle between a Class 10 Hindu boy and his Muslim classmate on Saturday snowballed into a communal clash in Vadavali village of Gujarat’s Patan district. You might think the eruption was spontaneous, as most riots are said to be but which political scientist Paul Brass calls a myth spawned to rationalise planned killings. In his magisterial book The Production of Hindu-Muslim Violence in Contemporary India, Brass showed that India has an Institutionalised Riot System, which scripts and produces riots, with actors having clearly assigned roles in the same manner a theatrical production has. Studying riots that battered Aligarh over decades, Brass empirically proved that riots enable political parties to communalise and polarise the electorate before every election. They appear spontaneous only because seasoned actors succeed in portraying it thus.
It is possible to argue that Patan in Gujarat isn’t Aligarh, and the riots there were indeed spontaneous. It is also likely a coincidence that the Vishwa Hindu Parishad hosted a Virat Hindu Sammelan on Sunday, a day after the Patan rioting. But that Togadia chose the Sammelan to articulate Hindutva’s pet peeves and falsehoods was certainly not a coincidence.
Togadia talk
Togadia said he wanted the government to bear the education expenses of Hindus as it did for religious minorities. He went on to claim that had the government been subsidising Hindu students, Patidar (or Patel) and Thakor youth wouldn’t have been at loggerheads over reservations in education and government jobs.
This is a brazen lie. The Union government has several schemes to fund students of Other Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, as it has for Muslims. These include scholarships, coaching for competitive examinations, and loans on generous terms for pursuing higher studies at home and abroad.
Brought up on a staple of not mixing news with views, no journalist thought it fit to call out Togadia’s lies. Nor will the readers of media stories go online to check the veracity of his claims.
The irrepressible Togadia deployed another canard. He said the government had imposed an education cess to educate “95 lakh Muslims”. With the feigned passion of the aggrieved, he asked, “Then why not [the same benefit] for the youths of Rajput, Koli Thakor, the Luhar [blacksmiths] and Suthar [carpenter] communities?”
The truth is that the education cess is not for the minority community, but is a fund specially created to bankroll initiatives such as the hugely successful Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan for universal elementary education. But this fact did not restrain Togadia from demanding, “If you are paying the fees of 95 lakh Muslims, then pay for six crore Hindus.” Just in case the logic underlying his demand was missed, he clarified, “If Muslims could be helped with the money collected from taxes paid by Hindus, why not Patels, Thakores and Koli [communities].”
BJP’s caste concerns
The communities Togadia named are either groups demanding reservation or already categorised as Other Backward Classes for affirmative action. Worryingly for the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Patels – a caste that has stood rock-like behind the party for nearly three decades – have been clamouring for reservation, not always without flexing muscles and indulging in violence.
In response, the Other Backward Classes want to prevent the relatively prosperous Patels from being clubbed with them, fearing their relatively better education and economic status would enable them to corner a large slice of the reservation cake, which in itself has become smaller because the growth in government jobs has slowed.
It is to paper over caste antagonisms that Togadia has resurrected the bogey of Muslim appeasement, in the hope of uniting the Patels and Other Backward Classes on an anti-Muslim plank. But these aren’t just two caste groups alienated from the ruling BJP of Gujarat.
Dalits, too, have been simmering against discrimination and oppression, dramatically brought to the fore last year following the flogging of their caste brethren for skinning a dead cow in the state’s Una town. They dumped animal carcasses at government offices and, along with Muslims, petitioned district authorities to rein in the cow protection vigilantes. They also took out a 10-day protest march from Ahmedabad to Una in August.
Targeting Muslims
A society in ferment can be incited to direct its wrath against a common enemy, which in the Sangh Parivar’s consciousness is always the Muslim. So Togadia spoke of the subsidy given to Muslims – not all, it must be remembered – who go on Hajj every year. He didn’t mention the expenses incurred on organising teerths (pilgrimages) and kumbh melas for Hindus.
Nor would you, obviously, expect Togadia to mention that this subsidy for Muslims has been continued despite several Muslim clerics and leaders demanding it be abolished as it violates the Islamic injunction that Hajj should be performed after people have met all their obligations and are still in a position to finance their pilgrimage.
After breathlessly, and audaciously, spinning yarns about Muslim appeasement, Togadia took to demanding a uniform family policy that allows every man to have “one wife and two children to control population growth of the Muslims”. His logic was impeccable: “A lot of taxpayers’ money goes into serving large families that have no control over their numbers.” And just in case his audience didn’t get his insinuation, he reminded them that the majority of taxpayers in India are Hindus.
Then came the familiar cry for building a Ram temple in Ayodhya, articulated in language that sounded menacing.
Togadia’s rhetoric, in its shrillness and falsehoods, echoes that of Adityanath before his unseemly past was whitewashed as soon as he became chief minister. The commentariat’s craven plea of giving Adityanath a chance might have inspired the Sangh to attempt a Togadia redux.
So, who is behind the idea of springing Togadia on us – Prime Minister Narendra Modi or the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or both?
The hand behind Togadia
Television anchor Rajdeep Sardesai, in his book 2014: The Election that Changed India, famously gave the benefit of the doubt to Narendra Modi for his failure as chief minister to control the 2002 anti-Muslim pogrom in Gujarat. He suggested that Modi was too new to the administration to control the hotheads in the Sangh Parivar.
Sardesai wrote, “What is probably true is that in February 2002, the real boss of Gujarat was not Modi but the VHP general secretary Praveen Togadia. If there was a ringmaster for the 2002 riots it was Togadia…”
In later years, though, Sardesai credited Modi for successfully reining in Togadia, even managing to “virtually isolate him, but in the bloody days of 2002, he failed to do so. Whether that was deliberate or otherwise is a question only he [Modi] can answer, but the political benefits of a consolidated Hindu vote bank were obvious”.
A consolidated Hindu vote bank is once again needed in Gujarat, to paper over caste contradictions to win the Assembly elections later this year. As in the past so in the present, we will never have a clue as to who brought Togadia out from oblivion. What we can certainly tell is that Togadia’s speech at the Sammelan is typical of how the Sangh prepares its footsoldiers for the battle of the ballot.
Sangh stamp of politics
Thus, in July 2014, before Uttar Pradesh was to have a clutch of Assembly by-elections, love jihad (the apparent targeting by Muslim men of non-Muslim women) became the BJP’s signature tune. The melody of ghar wapsi (the conversion of non-Hindus back to Hinduism) was mixed with it as Haryana, Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Delhi went to polls one after another around the same period (2014-’15).
After a lull of a few months, the anti-cow slaughter vigilantes began to grab headlines through their beating of drivers caught ferrying cattle. It was an unmistakable signal from the Sangh that it had begun preparing for the 2016 Assembly elections in Bihar, a state with a long history of the cow-protection movement dating back to the late 19th century. It was around then that Mohammad Akhlaq was lynched in Uttar Pradesh’s Dadri town, near Delhi, on the suspicion that he had consumed and stocked beef. The furious debates on television followed and many writers returned their awards in protest.
Sure, there were other narratives as well – development for instance.
Yet, it is a testament to the shiny lure of anti-Muslim rhetoric that no less than Prime Minister Narendra Modi stoked the fears of the Other Backward Classes through his claims that a victory for the Grand Alliance – a combination of the Janata Dal (United), Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress – in Bihar would have its government grant reservations to Muslims from the quota for the Other Backward Classes. That was a constitutional impossibility, but then everything is fair in war, even those fought through the electronic voting machine.
Uttar Pradesh to Gujarat
Uttar Pradesh has always been more communally polarised than any other state, largely because it was here that the battle for Partition was fought and the site of the Babri Masjid is located. In the months before the Assembly polls (which concluded earlier this month) and the demonetisation policy (in November) were announced, anti-cow slaughter vigilantes returned after a spell of RR (rest and recuperation) with tremendous zeal and fury. This was followed by the Sangh Parivar spinning the yarn of Hindu migration from villages and towns of Uttar Pradesh under pressure of the Muslim underworld.
In the proscenium of Uttar Pradesh’s electoral theatre, Adityanath was always there to fill in the interludes separating one speaker from another who spoke of anti-corruption measures and development and India’s march to greatness. But such speakers presumably too forgot their script and began to harp on shamshan and qabristan (crematorium and graveyard) and coined the acronym Kasab (after the name of the 2011 Mumbai terror attack convict Ajmal Kasab) to signify the Congress (Ka), Samajwadi Party (Sa) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (B).
From this perspective, the riots in Patan and the Virat Hindu Sammelan have heralded the BJP’s preparation for the Gujarat Assembly polls. It is only befitting that Togadia should blow the bugle. The Sangh Parivar has chosen him because the commentariat, located at various points of India’s ideological spectrum, has been so accommodating of Adityanath. They shouldn’t be surprised if Togadia becomes Gujarat’s Adityanath, but, hopefully, we won’t be asked to give him a chance too.
Ajaz Ashraf is a journalist in Delhi. His novel, The Hour Before Dawn, has as its backdrop the demolition of the Babri Masjid.
Sangh politics
As the BJP starts preparations for the Gujarat polls, is Pravin Togadia the new Yogi Adityanath?
A day after communal clashes in the state, the VHP leader spoke of Hindu grievances and Muslim appeasement.
As the BJP starts preparations for the Gujarat polls, is Pravin Togadia the new Yogi Adityanath?
Ajaz Ashraf
Commentators reprimanding liberals for criticising Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath are advised to release the hot air of political correctness after examining what happened in Gujarat this past week.
Though the Assembly elections in that state are still nine months away, the Sangh Parivar has begun preparing for it as only it can – by communalising the electorate and bringing out Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Pravin Togadia, arguably the most venomous of all rabble-rousers, to spin yarns of Hindu grievances and Muslim appeasement.
Indeed, Togadia is to Gujarat what Adityanath had been to Uttar Pradesh until his newfound status of chief minister had the commentariat forget his past and discover in him virtues that even he might not have thought he possessed. To ensure the commentariat class doesn’t commit the same mistake of lavishing praise on Togadia, as it is now doing on Adityanath, it is imperative to monitor Gujarat’s journey to the elections till the very end.
This journey, it will be remembered, began with two people dying and 10 being injured, five of them critically, when a scuffle between a Class 10 Hindu boy and his Muslim classmate on Saturday snowballed into a communal clash in Vadavali village of Gujarat’s Patan district. You might think the eruption was spontaneous, as most riots are said to be but which political scientist Paul Brass calls a myth spawned to rationalise planned killings. In his magisterial book The Production of Hindu-Muslim Violence in Contemporary India, Brass showed that India has an Institutionalised Riot System, which scripts and produces riots, with actors having clearly assigned roles in the same manner a theatrical production has. Studying riots that battered Aligarh over decades, Brass empirically proved that riots enable political parties to communalise and polarise the electorate before every election. They appear spontaneous only because seasoned actors succeed in portraying it thus.
It is possible to argue that Patan in Gujarat isn’t Aligarh, and the riots there were indeed spontaneous. It is also likely a coincidence that the Vishwa Hindu Parishad hosted a Virat Hindu Sammelan on Sunday, a day after the Patan rioting. But that Togadia chose the Sammelan to articulate Hindutva’s pet peeves and falsehoods was certainly not a coincidence.
Togadia talk
Togadia said he wanted the government to bear the education expenses of Hindus as it did for religious minorities. He went on to claim that had the government been subsidising Hindu students, Patidar (or Patel) and Thakor youth wouldn’t have been at loggerheads over reservations in education and government jobs.
This is a brazen lie. The Union government has several schemes to fund students of Other Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, as it has for Muslims. These include scholarships, coaching for competitive examinations, and loans on generous terms for pursuing higher studies at home and abroad.
Brought up on a staple of not mixing news with views, no journalist thought it fit to call out Togadia’s lies. Nor will the readers of media stories go online to check the veracity of his claims.
The irrepressible Togadia deployed another canard. He said the government had imposed an education cess to educate “95 lakh Muslims”. With the feigned passion of the aggrieved, he asked, “Then why not [the same benefit] for the youths of Rajput, Koli Thakor, the Luhar [blacksmiths] and Suthar [carpenter] communities?”
The truth is that the education cess is not for the minority community, but is a fund specially created to bankroll initiatives such as the hugely successful Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan for universal elementary education. But this fact did not restrain Togadia from demanding, “If you are paying the fees of 95 lakh Muslims, then pay for six crore Hindus.” Just in case the logic underlying his demand was missed, he clarified, “If Muslims could be helped with the money collected from taxes paid by Hindus, why not Patels, Thakores and Koli [communities].”
BJP’s caste concerns
The communities Togadia named are either groups demanding reservation or already categorised as Other Backward Classes for affirmative action. Worryingly for the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Patels – a caste that has stood rock-like behind the party for nearly three decades – have been clamouring for reservation, not always without flexing muscles and indulging in violence.
In response, the Other Backward Classes want to prevent the relatively prosperous Patels from being clubbed with them, fearing their relatively better education and economic status would enable them to corner a large slice of the reservation cake, which in itself has become smaller because the growth in government jobs has slowed.
It is to paper over caste antagonisms that Togadia has resurrected the bogey of Muslim appeasement, in the hope of uniting the Patels and Other Backward Classes on an anti-Muslim plank. But these aren’t just two caste groups alienated from the ruling BJP of Gujarat.
Dalits, too, have been simmering against discrimination and oppression, dramatically brought to the fore last year following the flogging of their caste brethren for skinning a dead cow in the state’s Una town. They dumped animal carcasses at government offices and, along with Muslims, petitioned district authorities to rein in the cow protection vigilantes. They also took out a 10-day protest march from Ahmedabad to Una in August.
Targeting Muslims
A society in ferment can be incited to direct its wrath against a common enemy, which in the Sangh Parivar’s consciousness is always the Muslim. So Togadia spoke of the subsidy given to Muslims – not all, it must be remembered – who go on Hajj every year. He didn’t mention the expenses incurred on organising teerths (pilgrimages) and kumbh melas for Hindus.
Nor would you, obviously, expect Togadia to mention that this subsidy for Muslims has been continued despite several Muslim clerics and leaders demanding it be abolished as it violates the Islamic injunction that Hajj should be performed after people have met all their obligations and are still in a position to finance their pilgrimage.
After breathlessly, and audaciously, spinning yarns about Muslim appeasement, Togadia took to demanding a uniform family policy that allows every man to have “one wife and two children to control population growth of the Muslims”. His logic was impeccable: “A lot of taxpayers’ money goes into serving large families that have no control over their numbers.” And just in case his audience didn’t get his insinuation, he reminded them that the majority of taxpayers in India are Hindus.
Then came the familiar cry for building a Ram temple in Ayodhya, articulated in language that sounded menacing.
Togadia’s rhetoric, in its shrillness and falsehoods, echoes that of Adityanath before his unseemly past was whitewashed as soon as he became chief minister. The commentariat’s craven plea of giving Adityanath a chance might have inspired the Sangh to attempt a Togadia redux.
So, who is behind the idea of springing Togadia on us – Prime Minister Narendra Modi or the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or both?
The hand behind Togadia
Television anchor Rajdeep Sardesai, in his book 2014: The Election that Changed India, famously gave the benefit of the doubt to Narendra Modi for his failure as chief minister to control the 2002 anti-Muslim pogrom in Gujarat. He suggested that Modi was too new to the administration to control the hotheads in the Sangh Parivar.
Sardesai wrote, “What is probably true is that in February 2002, the real boss of Gujarat was not Modi but the VHP general secretary Praveen Togadia. If there was a ringmaster for the 2002 riots it was Togadia…”
In later years, though, Sardesai credited Modi for successfully reining in Togadia, even managing to “virtually isolate him, but in the bloody days of 2002, he failed to do so. Whether that was deliberate or otherwise is a question only he [Modi] can answer, but the political benefits of a consolidated Hindu vote bank were obvious”.
A consolidated Hindu vote bank is once again needed in Gujarat, to paper over caste contradictions to win the Assembly elections later this year. As in the past so in the present, we will never have a clue as to who brought Togadia out from oblivion. What we can certainly tell is that Togadia’s speech at the Sammelan is typical of how the Sangh prepares its footsoldiers for the battle of the ballot.
Sangh stamp of politics
Thus, in July 2014, before Uttar Pradesh was to have a clutch of Assembly by-elections, love jihad (the apparent targeting by Muslim men of non-Muslim women) became the BJP’s signature tune. The melody of ghar wapsi (the conversion of non-Hindus back to Hinduism) was mixed with it as Haryana, Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Delhi went to polls one after another around the same period (2014-’15).
After a lull of a few months, the anti-cow slaughter vigilantes began to grab headlines through their beating of drivers caught ferrying cattle. It was an unmistakable signal from the Sangh that it had begun preparing for the 2016 Assembly elections in Bihar, a state with a long history of the cow-protection movement dating back to the late 19th century. It was around then that Mohammad Akhlaq was lynched in Uttar Pradesh’s Dadri town, near Delhi, on the suspicion that he had consumed and stocked beef. The furious debates on television followed and many writers returned their awards in protest.
Sure, there were other narratives as well – development for instance.
Yet, it is a testament to the shiny lure of anti-Muslim rhetoric that no less than Prime Minister Narendra Modi stoked the fears of the Other Backward Classes through his claims that a victory for the Grand Alliance – a combination of the Janata Dal (United), Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress – in Bihar would have its government grant reservations to Muslims from the quota for the Other Backward Classes. That was a constitutional impossibility, but then everything is fair in war, even those fought through the electronic voting machine.
Uttar Pradesh to Gujarat
Uttar Pradesh has always been more communally polarised than any other state, largely because it was here that the battle for Partition was fought and the site of the Babri Masjid is located. In the months before the Assembly polls (which concluded earlier this month) and the demonetisation policy (in November) were announced, anti-cow slaughter vigilantes returned after a spell of RR (rest and recuperation) with tremendous zeal and fury. This was followed by the Sangh Parivar spinning the yarn of Hindu migration from villages and towns of Uttar Pradesh under pressure of the Muslim underworld.
In the proscenium of Uttar Pradesh’s electoral theatre, Adityanath was always there to fill in the interludes separating one speaker from another who spoke of anti-corruption measures and development and India’s march to greatness. But such speakers presumably too forgot their script and began to harp on shamshan and qabristan (crematorium and graveyard) and coined the acronym Kasab (after the name of the 2011 Mumbai terror attack convict Ajmal Kasab) to signify the Congress (Ka), Samajwadi Party (Sa) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (B).
From this perspective, the riots in Patan and the Virat Hindu Sammelan have heralded the BJP’s preparation for the Gujarat Assembly polls. It is only befitting that Togadia should blow the bugle. The Sangh Parivar has chosen him because the commentariat, located at various points of India’s ideological spectrum, has been so accommodating of Adityanath. They shouldn’t be surprised if Togadia becomes Gujarat’s Adityanath, but, hopefully, we won’t be asked to give him a chance too.
Ajaz Ashraf is a journalist in Delhi. His novel, The Hour Before Dawn, has as its backdrop the demolition of the Babri Masjid.
August 14, 2016
India: Hoof-and-horn hour - Cow test-firing from Togadia shoulder (Radhika Ramaseshan)
The Telegraph - August 14, 2016
New Delhi, Aug. 13: Pravin Togadia, who has a history of run-ins with Narendra Modi, today targeted the Prime Minister in the capital and accused him of “victimising and humiliating” saviours of the cow.
Modi as well as the RSS have been at pains to pacify Dalits after a flogging of four youths by cow vigilantes spun out of control and triggered a wider backlash with ramifications for next year’s Uttar Pradesh elections.
Togadia said he had been “compelled” to speak up because “sadhus and sants (had) wept” over Modi’s address; because a “92-year-old woman from Bihar’s Chhapra told me there would be no cows left in India” and because professionals of all hues “from lawyers and chartered accountants to industrialists” had harangued him for keeping mum.
Togadia is the international working president of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad. However, the Parishad itself has been lying low since Modi cut it to size in Gujarat.
Sources suggested that Togadia might be articulating the concerns of a section of the Sangh that feels the hawkish elements among the foot soldiers must be reassured that their pet themes are not being abandoned.
“It could be the copybook good-cop-bad-cop tactic. The Sangh officially supports Modi’s view but uses mavericks like Togadia to keep the loony elements in good humour,” a source said.
Several of the statements Togadia made today were in keeping with his rabble-rousing reputation but one appeared to strike a chord among some Sangh leaders.
“For you (the Prime Minister), 80 per cent of the cow protectors are criminals, fraudsters and sinners because they are Hindus,” he said.
Modi had told a townhall-style meeting a week ago that he was “very angry” with criminals masquerading as cow protectors and asked state governments to draw up dossiers on them because “70 to 80 per cent of them” were “anti-social elements”. Some Sangh leaders later said in private that the figure appeared too sweeping and unrealistic.
Modi
Togadia insinuated that Modi had lied when he claimed that “80 per cent” of those who called themselves “gau rakshaks” were tricksters and criminals who ran lucrative trades in the name of cow protection.
“Prime Ministerji, you have made a serious allegation against cow protectors. Where is the proof? If you have the proof, please disclose…. Cows are slaughtered by butchers and you said most of them die by choking on plastic. You have absolved the butchers of a serious crime. I do not wish to say the PM is lying because he is also my PM. But I spoke to several state governments after his speech and none of them said they provided any information to him. So it is the PM’s duty to reveal his data sources,” Togadia, who described Modi as a “childhood friend”, said.
They fell out irreparably when Modi was Gujarat’s chief minister.
For Modi, Togadia’s offensive was an Atal Bihari Vajpayee moment, except that the VHP — the first Sangh constituent to endorse Modi as the BJP’s candidate for Prime Minister — had allowed him an extended honeymoon.
Togadia had accused both Vajpayee and L.K. Advani of being “inebriated with power” after Vajpayee talked to Pakistan and Advani allegedly did nothing for the Ayodhya temple.
The VHP leader, however, dodged the question why he had chosen to lash out at Modi after the RSS had endorsed his statements against the so-called cow protectors. “I spoke out and very responsibly too,” he said.
Togadia was ambivalent on the July 11 assault on Dalits in Una, Gujarat, for skinning a dead cow. “Cow protection is an emotional issue. But we are equally committed to protecting the dignity and security of the Scheduled Castes. Why did the Prime Minister link cow slaughter to the oppression of the SCs? The Prime Minister has divided Hindus: this never happened in India,” he said.
Togadia demanded that Modi withdraw his speech, set up a 24x7 “cow protection helpline” in the Prime Minister’s Office to save cows from being slaughtered or smuggled, and ban beef exports.
Manmohan Vaidya, the Nagpur-based RSS spokesperson, refused to take calls.
BJP spokesperson and national secretary Sidharth Nath Singh said: “What the PM stated, the nation should follow.”
New Delhi, Aug. 13: Pravin Togadia, who has a history of run-ins with Narendra Modi, today targeted the Prime Minister in the capital and accused him of “victimising and humiliating” saviours of the cow.
Modi as well as the RSS have been at pains to pacify Dalits after a flogging of four youths by cow vigilantes spun out of control and triggered a wider backlash with ramifications for next year’s Uttar Pradesh elections.
Togadia said he had been “compelled” to speak up because “sadhus and sants (had) wept” over Modi’s address; because a “92-year-old woman from Bihar’s Chhapra told me there would be no cows left in India” and because professionals of all hues “from lawyers and chartered accountants to industrialists” had harangued him for keeping mum.
Togadia is the international working president of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad. However, the Parishad itself has been lying low since Modi cut it to size in Gujarat.
Sources suggested that Togadia might be articulating the concerns of a section of the Sangh that feels the hawkish elements among the foot soldiers must be reassured that their pet themes are not being abandoned.
“It could be the copybook good-cop-bad-cop tactic. The Sangh officially supports Modi’s view but uses mavericks like Togadia to keep the loony elements in good humour,” a source said.
Several of the statements Togadia made today were in keeping with his rabble-rousing reputation but one appeared to strike a chord among some Sangh leaders.
“For you (the Prime Minister), 80 per cent of the cow protectors are criminals, fraudsters and sinners because they are Hindus,” he said.
Modi had told a townhall-style meeting a week ago that he was “very angry” with criminals masquerading as cow protectors and asked state governments to draw up dossiers on them because “70 to 80 per cent of them” were “anti-social elements”. Some Sangh leaders later said in private that the figure appeared too sweeping and unrealistic.
Modi
Togadia insinuated that Modi had lied when he claimed that “80 per cent” of those who called themselves “gau rakshaks” were tricksters and criminals who ran lucrative trades in the name of cow protection.
“Prime Ministerji, you have made a serious allegation against cow protectors. Where is the proof? If you have the proof, please disclose…. Cows are slaughtered by butchers and you said most of them die by choking on plastic. You have absolved the butchers of a serious crime. I do not wish to say the PM is lying because he is also my PM. But I spoke to several state governments after his speech and none of them said they provided any information to him. So it is the PM’s duty to reveal his data sources,” Togadia, who described Modi as a “childhood friend”, said.
They fell out irreparably when Modi was Gujarat’s chief minister.
For Modi, Togadia’s offensive was an Atal Bihari Vajpayee moment, except that the VHP — the first Sangh constituent to endorse Modi as the BJP’s candidate for Prime Minister — had allowed him an extended honeymoon.
Togadia had accused both Vajpayee and L.K. Advani of being “inebriated with power” after Vajpayee talked to Pakistan and Advani allegedly did nothing for the Ayodhya temple.
The VHP leader, however, dodged the question why he had chosen to lash out at Modi after the RSS had endorsed his statements against the so-called cow protectors. “I spoke out and very responsibly too,” he said.
Togadia was ambivalent on the July 11 assault on Dalits in Una, Gujarat, for skinning a dead cow. “Cow protection is an emotional issue. But we are equally committed to protecting the dignity and security of the Scheduled Castes. Why did the Prime Minister link cow slaughter to the oppression of the SCs? The Prime Minister has divided Hindus: this never happened in India,” he said.
Togadia demanded that Modi withdraw his speech, set up a 24x7 “cow protection helpline” in the Prime Minister’s Office to save cows from being slaughtered or smuggled, and ban beef exports.
Manmohan Vaidya, the Nagpur-based RSS spokesperson, refused to take calls.
BJP spokesperson and national secretary Sidharth Nath Singh said: “What the PM stated, the nation should follow.”
February 08, 2015
India: Police ban defied, VHP leader Praveen Togadia's recorded speech played at Bangalore rally
Police ban defied, VHP leader Praveen Togadia's recorded speech played at Bengaluru rally
IndiaToday.in Bengaluru, February 8, 2015 | UPDATED 23:52 IST
VHP leader Praveen Togadia.
A day after Karnataka High Court rejected VHP's plea for a stay on the police order banning its leader Praveen Togadia's entry into Bengaluru on Sunday on grounds of law and order, the saffron outfit played his video recorded speech at a rally in the city in which he called for Ghar Wapsi (homecoming) and establishment of "Constitutional Hindu Nation".
The cops had felt that Togadia's inflammatory speeches may disrupt the law and order situation of the city.
Additional Commissioner of Police (Bengaluru) Alok Kumar said, "We have taken note of the violation; we will get opinion of our legal officers and we will take further action."
At 'Virat Hindu Samajotsava' rally, Togadia said in his recorded speech,"...We want security, security for hundred crore Hindus... We want prosperity for Hindus... We want honour for Hindus..."
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The organisers played the address ignoring the police orders banning displaying or transmitting the speech through audio, visual or other media.
Police had issued fresh orders on Saturday imposing the multi-media gag after the Karnataka High Court had upheld its ban prohibiting entry of Togadia into the city for a week from February 5.
Apprehending that the 'Samajotsava' organisers might circumvent the ban by showing Togadia's speech using audio or visual media, Bengaluru Police Commissioner M N Reddi had issued the orders.
Togadia left for Ahmedabad from Hosur in Tamil Nadu via Bengaluru where he was taken to the airport, police said earlier in the day.
Security was beefed up around the venue and in sensitive parts of the city, with policemen, assisted by Rapid Action Force, Quick Response Teams and other security personnel deployed in good strength.
"...let no one teach us about tolerance, from the time when this universe was created we have tolerance, if we were not tolerant, people from across the world couldn't have come and settled here," Togadia said.
"Those who do religious conversions are the enemies of tolerance. Hindus have never done religious conversions.
Hindus have been converted, now Hindus will not be converted, we will do Ghar Wapsi..."
As Togadia spoke, a huge crowd gathered at the National High School Ground cheered and raised slogans in his praise.
They also raised slogans against Siddaramaiah government holding it responsible for banning his entry into the city.
"...we won't allow Hindus (number of Hindu's) to recede; ...for security and prosperity of Hindus, the government in the country has to think about Hindus, for this we have to establish a Samvidanik Hindu Rashtra," Togadia said.
Justice Abdul Nazir of Karnataka High Court had on Friday turned down the interim prayer by Karnataka VHP to stay the police commissioner's order, banning Togadia's entry into the city from February 5 to 11.
Reddi had earlier this week imposed the ban on the ground that Togadia's "provocative" and "inflammatory" speeches would have "grave" consequences and there likelihood of breach of peace.
VHP had challenged the Commissioner's orders on Togadia's entry into the city in the High Court with the interim prayer for a stay on the ban.
While declining the interim plea, the Judge, however, had said Hegde's petition was maintainable and adjourned the matter without mentioning the next date of hearing.
Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/praveen-togadia-video-bengaluru-police-vhp-ghar-wapsi-hindutva-acp-alok-kumar/1/417755.html
IndiaToday.in Bengaluru, February 8, 2015 | UPDATED 23:52 IST
VHP leader Praveen Togadia.
A day after Karnataka High Court rejected VHP's plea for a stay on the police order banning its leader Praveen Togadia's entry into Bengaluru on Sunday on grounds of law and order, the saffron outfit played his video recorded speech at a rally in the city in which he called for Ghar Wapsi (homecoming) and establishment of "Constitutional Hindu Nation".
The cops had felt that Togadia's inflammatory speeches may disrupt the law and order situation of the city.
Additional Commissioner of Police (Bengaluru) Alok Kumar said, "We have taken note of the violation; we will get opinion of our legal officers and we will take further action."
At 'Virat Hindu Samajotsava' rally, Togadia said in his recorded speech,"...We want security, security for hundred crore Hindus... We want prosperity for Hindus... We want honour for Hindus..."
Ads by ZINC
The organisers played the address ignoring the police orders banning displaying or transmitting the speech through audio, visual or other media.
Police had issued fresh orders on Saturday imposing the multi-media gag after the Karnataka High Court had upheld its ban prohibiting entry of Togadia into the city for a week from February 5.
Apprehending that the 'Samajotsava' organisers might circumvent the ban by showing Togadia's speech using audio or visual media, Bengaluru Police Commissioner M N Reddi had issued the orders.
Togadia left for Ahmedabad from Hosur in Tamil Nadu via Bengaluru where he was taken to the airport, police said earlier in the day.
Security was beefed up around the venue and in sensitive parts of the city, with policemen, assisted by Rapid Action Force, Quick Response Teams and other security personnel deployed in good strength.
"...let no one teach us about tolerance, from the time when this universe was created we have tolerance, if we were not tolerant, people from across the world couldn't have come and settled here," Togadia said.
"Those who do religious conversions are the enemies of tolerance. Hindus have never done religious conversions.
Hindus have been converted, now Hindus will not be converted, we will do Ghar Wapsi..."
As Togadia spoke, a huge crowd gathered at the National High School Ground cheered and raised slogans in his praise.
They also raised slogans against Siddaramaiah government holding it responsible for banning his entry into the city.
"...we won't allow Hindus (number of Hindu's) to recede; ...for security and prosperity of Hindus, the government in the country has to think about Hindus, for this we have to establish a Samvidanik Hindu Rashtra," Togadia said.
Justice Abdul Nazir of Karnataka High Court had on Friday turned down the interim prayer by Karnataka VHP to stay the police commissioner's order, banning Togadia's entry into the city from February 5 to 11.
Reddi had earlier this week imposed the ban on the ground that Togadia's "provocative" and "inflammatory" speeches would have "grave" consequences and there likelihood of breach of peace.
VHP had challenged the Commissioner's orders on Togadia's entry into the city in the High Court with the interim prayer for a stay on the ban.
While declining the interim plea, the Judge, however, had said Hegde's petition was maintainable and adjourned the matter without mentioning the next date of hearing.
Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/praveen-togadia-video-bengaluru-police-vhp-ghar-wapsi-hindutva-acp-alok-kumar/1/417755.html
November 25, 2014
India - Nepal: Modi avoids VHP's Ram Barat from Ayodhya to Janakpur (the RSS background governor of UP attends in ayodhya)
firstpost.com
PM in Nepal: Modi delivers VHP a subtle snub, sidesteps Ram Barat
by Chandrakant Naidu Nov 25, 2014 19:44 IST
Why did the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) keep its activists uninformed about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s polite snub over Ram Temple programme in Ayodhya? The VHP had hyped the possibility of Modi joining the Ram Barat that travels every five years from Ayodhya to Janakpur in Nepal.
This year’s barat is already on way to Janakpur. The VHP continued to capitalise on the prime minister’s anticipated participation through misleading announcements by different leaders despite clear indications of his unavailability. Over a fortnight ago the PMO had sent a regret note to VHP general secretary Champat Rai on his invitation to join the celebrations either at the beginning on 17 November or on the concluding day on 30 November. The VHP continued to play hide-and-seek till the PMO issued another announcement to set all speculation on the issue, to rest.
Even in Nepal people expectantly prepared for Modi’s Janakpur visit at the end of the SAARC summit. Sunday’s announcement by the PMO about the cancellation of the trip led to violent protests in that country. The Maoist government strove hard to avoid embarrassment before an important international event. While the Nepalese ministers are blaming each other for mishandling the Janakpur episode, Syed Akbaruddin, the spokesperson for Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) attributed Modi’s inability to visit there to “unavoidable domestic commitments”. Now he will travel only to Kathmandu to attend the Summit. "The Prime Minister deeply values the special relationship between India and Nepal and will always welcome every occasion to visit Nepal and interact with the leadership and the people of Nepal," Akbarrudin said, adding that the PM looks forward to an early opportunity to visit Janakpur, Lumbini, Muktinath.
During his last visit to Kathmandu, Modi had promised to include the three pilgrim towns in his itinerary. Modi’s maiden visit to Nepal as PM - first by an Indian PM in 17 years -- had a major impact on the local people. Nepal is now keen to add value to the SAARC summit by organising a Modi-Nawaz Sharif meeting. So, while the Hindutva issue gets side-lined a more vexing issue comes up on the agenda on the side-lines. Modi’s office has denied any such moves so far. But, the Nepalese are quite confident of bringing the leaders of the two key South Asian nations to engage in a dialogue.
The moderates are praising Modi for deftly handling the issue. The Ram Mandir Trust in Ayodhya along with VHP had been trying to rope in Modi since June last year. Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik who threw propriety to winds and joined the programme in Ayodhya had heightened expectations saying Modi would find a solution to the vexing issue in five years. The VHP knows that unless Modi associates himself with the Ram Mandir project there would be no thrust to the programme. Even during the election campaign the VHP had wanted to visit Ayodhya and join the prayers like he did in Varanasi. Just to reset the tone the VHP is now warning that it would not wait for five years for a decision on the temple.
Modi has refrained from commenting on the construction of the temple at Ayodhya ever since he assumed office. He is aware of the legal and constitutional ramifications of joining a mission that aligns him with VHP’s activity.
Modi draws his political strength from the Sangh muscles. But, his priority is to scale new heights on international leadership chart. The need to make a mark in the international comity and to stay in the good books of global investors he will need to steer clear of inflammable issues like Ayodhya, especially since courts have not been able to find a legal solution to them so far.
Though there have been numerous instances of heads of government participating in Ram Barat the VHP’s keenness to get the prime minister to join the Ram Barat had acquired communal overtones. Both Mohan Bhagwat of the RSS and Ashok Singhal of VHP have described the construction of Ram Temple at Ayodhya as soul of BJP’s agenda.
Another reason that keeps Modi away from VHP’s activities is his opposition to Praveen Togadia, a former colleague in the Sangh Parivar since the early eighties. The two parted ways after the 2002 elections in Gujarat and Modi has kept Togadia supporters in check ever since and under pressure from the Supreme Court. Togadia and VHP have lost much of their clout in Gujarat. Togadia had also mocked Modi’s effort to woo Muslims through Sadbhavna yatras. Those keen to see Modi shedding his hawkish image will welcome his new-found secular avatar.
PM in Nepal: Modi delivers VHP a subtle snub, sidesteps Ram Barat
by Chandrakant Naidu Nov 25, 2014 19:44 IST
Why did the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) keep its activists uninformed about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s polite snub over Ram Temple programme in Ayodhya? The VHP had hyped the possibility of Modi joining the Ram Barat that travels every five years from Ayodhya to Janakpur in Nepal.
This year’s barat is already on way to Janakpur. The VHP continued to capitalise on the prime minister’s anticipated participation through misleading announcements by different leaders despite clear indications of his unavailability. Over a fortnight ago the PMO had sent a regret note to VHP general secretary Champat Rai on his invitation to join the celebrations either at the beginning on 17 November or on the concluding day on 30 November. The VHP continued to play hide-and-seek till the PMO issued another announcement to set all speculation on the issue, to rest.
Even in Nepal people expectantly prepared for Modi’s Janakpur visit at the end of the SAARC summit. Sunday’s announcement by the PMO about the cancellation of the trip led to violent protests in that country. The Maoist government strove hard to avoid embarrassment before an important international event. While the Nepalese ministers are blaming each other for mishandling the Janakpur episode, Syed Akbaruddin, the spokesperson for Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) attributed Modi’s inability to visit there to “unavoidable domestic commitments”. Now he will travel only to Kathmandu to attend the Summit. "The Prime Minister deeply values the special relationship between India and Nepal and will always welcome every occasion to visit Nepal and interact with the leadership and the people of Nepal," Akbarrudin said, adding that the PM looks forward to an early opportunity to visit Janakpur, Lumbini, Muktinath.
During his last visit to Kathmandu, Modi had promised to include the three pilgrim towns in his itinerary. Modi’s maiden visit to Nepal as PM - first by an Indian PM in 17 years -- had a major impact on the local people. Nepal is now keen to add value to the SAARC summit by organising a Modi-Nawaz Sharif meeting. So, while the Hindutva issue gets side-lined a more vexing issue comes up on the agenda on the side-lines. Modi’s office has denied any such moves so far. But, the Nepalese are quite confident of bringing the leaders of the two key South Asian nations to engage in a dialogue.
The moderates are praising Modi for deftly handling the issue. The Ram Mandir Trust in Ayodhya along with VHP had been trying to rope in Modi since June last year. Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik who threw propriety to winds and joined the programme in Ayodhya had heightened expectations saying Modi would find a solution to the vexing issue in five years. The VHP knows that unless Modi associates himself with the Ram Mandir project there would be no thrust to the programme. Even during the election campaign the VHP had wanted to visit Ayodhya and join the prayers like he did in Varanasi. Just to reset the tone the VHP is now warning that it would not wait for five years for a decision on the temple.
Modi has refrained from commenting on the construction of the temple at Ayodhya ever since he assumed office. He is aware of the legal and constitutional ramifications of joining a mission that aligns him with VHP’s activity.
Modi draws his political strength from the Sangh muscles. But, his priority is to scale new heights on international leadership chart. The need to make a mark in the international comity and to stay in the good books of global investors he will need to steer clear of inflammable issues like Ayodhya, especially since courts have not been able to find a legal solution to them so far.
Though there have been numerous instances of heads of government participating in Ram Barat the VHP’s keenness to get the prime minister to join the Ram Barat had acquired communal overtones. Both Mohan Bhagwat of the RSS and Ashok Singhal of VHP have described the construction of Ram Temple at Ayodhya as soul of BJP’s agenda.
Another reason that keeps Modi away from VHP’s activities is his opposition to Praveen Togadia, a former colleague in the Sangh Parivar since the early eighties. The two parted ways after the 2002 elections in Gujarat and Modi has kept Togadia supporters in check ever since and under pressure from the Supreme Court. Togadia and VHP have lost much of their clout in Gujarat. Togadia had also mocked Modi’s effort to woo Muslims through Sadbhavna yatras. Those keen to see Modi shedding his hawkish image will welcome his new-found secular avatar.
November 23, 2014
India: Praveen Togadia - From Hindutva hardliner to ‘Material Boy’ (Radhika Ramaseshan)
New Delhi: “Jobs, business, food, education and health….” Few would have guessed this was Praveen Togadia speaking.
“Material prosperity” was the buzzword at the World Hindu Congress today, a day after cow worship, Ayodhya and Muhammad Ghori drove up the decibels.
Surprisingly, the change in tempo owed to a man known for the shrillest anti-minority rhetoric.
Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Togadia used to be one of Narendra Modi’s closest associates when they together spread the Sangh’s word in Gujarat, with Modi riding pillion on the Ahmedabad-based cancer surgeon’s motorbike.
But they fell out bitterly, and seemingly irretrievably, after Modi became Gujarat chief minister. The BJP politician attempted a makeover of sorts sometime after the 2002 violence but the VHP official continued to be a hawk.
As Modi ascended the national stage, the VHP was forced to rein Togadia in and demote him from general secretary to “international working president”, a designation that meant nothing.
But now Togadia seems to be using the Hindu Congress, a largely VHP-sponsored three-day event that began here, to re-launch himself minus the Hindutva fire and brimstone.
At his media interaction he virtually echoed Modi by stressing that the global community would not take India seriously until it became “economically powerful”.
“The key words are ‘material prosperity’. Until and unless India’s Hindus become prosperous and self-reliant, our national foundation will be shaky,” he said.
“So far, the VHP has always talked about security issues and temples. Our emphasis at this congress is material prosperity. To achieve that, the ingredients are jobs, business, food, education and health.”
Material themes dominated as Togadia and the other organisers spoke of the need to “evolve linkages” with the diaspora from “economically powerful” countries. Even when a comment caused “shock”, the differences were all about economic philosophy.
One of the guests, economist and columnist Surjit S. Bhalla, who heads the Delhi-based Oxus Research and Investments, confessed to being “disappointed and even shocked” at a remark by junior commerce and corporate affairs minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
“I see very little difference between the Left and the Hindutva groups when it comes to economic policies. This whole nationalism… is under heavy protection walls,” Bhalla said.
“I talked about removing barriers to growth. But Congress and BJP governments… all they do is blame foreigners. The reality is that in a globalised world, there is no point raving and ranting against foreigners.”
Bhalla described the controversy over German being dropped as a third-language option at Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan schools as “another growth barrier”.
At a Q&A, Nirmala had been asked whether the government would do something about the “discriminatory” pricing structure governing imported and domestically manufactured products (ceramics in the questioner’s case), which aggrieved importers and gave them negligible profit.
She replied that the government was only committed to protecting indigenous interests, drawing applause from an audience primarily of small and medium local entrepreneurs.
Bhalla, a votary of economic reforms and a minimalist state, had in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls hoped that Modi would spur India to new heights of growth. He, however, has always been impatient with Hindutva.
But when the Hindu Congress organisers invited him shortly after the change of guard in Delhi, he accepted it.
“These guys are important players but one need not be sympathetic to their viewpoint,” Bhalla said.
Before the Modi government presented its first budget, the World Hindu Economic Forum, the Hindu Congress’s economic chapter, had unveiled an agenda that appeared rooted in the Sangh’s swadeshi beliefs.
Forum convener Gautam Sen, a former professor at the London School of Economics, had drafted the document.
It said the forum would create a “web-driven network of Hindu business personalities”, lobby for India’s small and medium-sized enterprises, and mentor young businesspersons and offer them technical, legal and other help through a portal.
At the Hindu Congress, Sen and economist Bibek Debroy of Delhi’s Centre for Policy Research reaffirmed that it was “glorious” for a Hindu to be “rich” as long as the wealth was channelled into the “right purposes”. Debroy echoed Modi’s pet line on “maximum governance, minimum government”.
When some delegates asked how the government proposed to cut red tape, though, nothing definite was on offer.
-The Telegraph, Calcutta
“Material prosperity” was the buzzword at the World Hindu Congress today, a day after cow worship, Ayodhya and Muhammad Ghori drove up the decibels.
Surprisingly, the change in tempo owed to a man known for the shrillest anti-minority rhetoric.
Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Togadia used to be one of Narendra Modi’s closest associates when they together spread the Sangh’s word in Gujarat, with Modi riding pillion on the Ahmedabad-based cancer surgeon’s motorbike.
But they fell out bitterly, and seemingly irretrievably, after Modi became Gujarat chief minister. The BJP politician attempted a makeover of sorts sometime after the 2002 violence but the VHP official continued to be a hawk.
As Modi ascended the national stage, the VHP was forced to rein Togadia in and demote him from general secretary to “international working president”, a designation that meant nothing.
But now Togadia seems to be using the Hindu Congress, a largely VHP-sponsored three-day event that began here, to re-launch himself minus the Hindutva fire and brimstone.
At his media interaction he virtually echoed Modi by stressing that the global community would not take India seriously until it became “economically powerful”.
“The key words are ‘material prosperity’. Until and unless India’s Hindus become prosperous and self-reliant, our national foundation will be shaky,” he said.
“So far, the VHP has always talked about security issues and temples. Our emphasis at this congress is material prosperity. To achieve that, the ingredients are jobs, business, food, education and health.”
Material themes dominated as Togadia and the other organisers spoke of the need to “evolve linkages” with the diaspora from “economically powerful” countries. Even when a comment caused “shock”, the differences were all about economic philosophy.
One of the guests, economist and columnist Surjit S. Bhalla, who heads the Delhi-based Oxus Research and Investments, confessed to being “disappointed and even shocked” at a remark by junior commerce and corporate affairs minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
“I see very little difference between the Left and the Hindutva groups when it comes to economic policies. This whole nationalism… is under heavy protection walls,” Bhalla said.
“I talked about removing barriers to growth. But Congress and BJP governments… all they do is blame foreigners. The reality is that in a globalised world, there is no point raving and ranting against foreigners.”
Bhalla described the controversy over German being dropped as a third-language option at Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan schools as “another growth barrier”.
At a Q&A, Nirmala had been asked whether the government would do something about the “discriminatory” pricing structure governing imported and domestically manufactured products (ceramics in the questioner’s case), which aggrieved importers and gave them negligible profit.
She replied that the government was only committed to protecting indigenous interests, drawing applause from an audience primarily of small and medium local entrepreneurs.
Bhalla, a votary of economic reforms and a minimalist state, had in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls hoped that Modi would spur India to new heights of growth. He, however, has always been impatient with Hindutva.
But when the Hindu Congress organisers invited him shortly after the change of guard in Delhi, he accepted it.
“These guys are important players but one need not be sympathetic to their viewpoint,” Bhalla said.
Before the Modi government presented its first budget, the World Hindu Economic Forum, the Hindu Congress’s economic chapter, had unveiled an agenda that appeared rooted in the Sangh’s swadeshi beliefs.
Forum convener Gautam Sen, a former professor at the London School of Economics, had drafted the document.
It said the forum would create a “web-driven network of Hindu business personalities”, lobby for India’s small and medium-sized enterprises, and mentor young businesspersons and offer them technical, legal and other help through a portal.
At the Hindu Congress, Sen and economist Bibek Debroy of Delhi’s Centre for Policy Research reaffirmed that it was “glorious” for a Hindu to be “rich” as long as the wealth was channelled into the “right purposes”. Debroy echoed Modi’s pet line on “maximum governance, minimum government”.
When some delegates asked how the government proposed to cut red tape, though, nothing definite was on offer.
-The Telegraph, Calcutta
July 20, 2014
VHP leader Togadia reminds Muslims of Muzaffarnagar riots
Hindustan Times
After Singhal, Togadia reminds Muslims of Muzaffarnagar riots
HT Correspondent, Hindustan Times Indore, July 19, 2014
Against the backdrop of violence at a base camp of the Amarnath Yatra, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Pravin Togadia on Saturday issued a veiled warning to the Muslims, saying they may have forgotten the 2002 Gujarat riots but would remember the Muzaffarnagar riots of last year.
"Aap Gujarat bhul gaye honge, par aapko Muzaffarnagar yaad hoga," said Togadia, who was here to address a press conference on the World Hindu Congress Summit proposed to be held in New Delhi in November this year. Scores of people, mostly Muslims, were killed in both the communal incidents.
"If you set Hanuman's tail on fire, Lanka will burn. The Godhra incident led to the Gujarat riots, and the alleged rape of a Hindu girl led to the Muzaffarnagar riots," he added.
About 40 people were injured in clashes between security forces and protesters in Baltal base camp of the Amarnath Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir after a scuffle between a local pony operator and a cook turned violent. Around 100 tents and half a dozen 'langars' (community kitchens) were also torched during the clashes.
Todagia's statement came within days of VHP patron Ashok Singhal's comment that "tables had turned for the Muslims" in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections.
On the violence at the Amarnath Yatra camp, Togadia demanded that a central team should be sent to investigate the matter, and fast track courts should decide the cases. He also held the Jammu and Kashmir government responsible for the violence.
Asked for his reaction on journalist Ved Pratap Vaidik's meeting with Hafiz Saeed in Pakistan, he said that anyone who talks of dividing Kashimir should be booked for sedition.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/togadia-at-it-again-warns-muslims-over-communal-riots/article1-1242249.aspx
After Singhal, Togadia reminds Muslims of Muzaffarnagar riots
HT Correspondent, Hindustan Times Indore, July 19, 2014
Against the backdrop of violence at a base camp of the Amarnath Yatra, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Pravin Togadia on Saturday issued a veiled warning to the Muslims, saying they may have forgotten the 2002 Gujarat riots but would remember the Muzaffarnagar riots of last year.
"Aap Gujarat bhul gaye honge, par aapko Muzaffarnagar yaad hoga," said Togadia, who was here to address a press conference on the World Hindu Congress Summit proposed to be held in New Delhi in November this year. Scores of people, mostly Muslims, were killed in both the communal incidents.
"If you set Hanuman's tail on fire, Lanka will burn. The Godhra incident led to the Gujarat riots, and the alleged rape of a Hindu girl led to the Muzaffarnagar riots," he added.
About 40 people were injured in clashes between security forces and protesters in Baltal base camp of the Amarnath Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir after a scuffle between a local pony operator and a cook turned violent. Around 100 tents and half a dozen 'langars' (community kitchens) were also torched during the clashes.
Todagia's statement came within days of VHP patron Ashok Singhal's comment that "tables had turned for the Muslims" in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections.
On the violence at the Amarnath Yatra camp, Togadia demanded that a central team should be sent to investigate the matter, and fast track courts should decide the cases. He also held the Jammu and Kashmir government responsible for the violence.
Asked for his reaction on journalist Ved Pratap Vaidik's meeting with Hafiz Saeed in Pakistan, he said that anyone who talks of dividing Kashimir should be booked for sedition.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/togadia-at-it-again-warns-muslims-over-communal-riots/article1-1242249.aspx
April 23, 2014
India: A sinister design - Editorial, The Hindu, 23 April 2014
The editorial in The Hindu says Togadia's "hate speech" is a vilation of Article 14 of the Constitution.
http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/a-sinister-design/article5938085.ece
By asking Hindus not to allow Muslims to buy property in ‘Hindu localities’, Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Praveen Togadia was seeking to undermine the basic constitutional values of the nation. This was no ordinary ‘hate speech’ made in the rough and tumble of elections. Mr. Togadia’s intent was far more sinister than swinging the election mood in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party. It certainly appeared to have a more long-term objective: to create a feeling of insecurity among India’s Muslims, push them into ghettos, and encourage Hindus to engage in violent action against them. Article 14 of the Constitution guarantees equality before law within the territory of India, and Article 15 prohibits discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth. Article 19(e) protects the rights of a citizen to reside and settle in any part of the territory of India. The VHP firebrand’s call to his Hindu audience was thus an incitement to violence and illegal actions, an invitation to encroach on properties bought by Muslims from Hindus. By asking his supporters to pressure the state to invoke — actually misuse — the Disturbed Areas Act to prevent Muslims from moving into so-called Hindu localities, Mr. Togadia was not displaying an ignorance of the country’s laws: he was actually setting a majoritarian agenda for the government.
That Mr. Togadia’s speech would not serve the immediate goals of the BJP was evident soon enough. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the mentor of both the BJP and the VHP, after first denying Mr. Togadia made such remarks, came out expressing disapproval of any discrimination on the basis of religion or caste. Coming as it did after party candidate Giriraj Singh’s speech that said the critics of the prime ministerial aspirant Narendra Modi had no place in India, but belonged in Pakistan, the BJP was expected to make an unambiguous statement condemning Mr. Togadia’s brand of politics. Mr. Modi tweeted that he disapproved of any irresponsible statement from those claiming to be the BJP’s well-wishers, but he was reluctant to go any further. At the heart of the controversy is not the question of any deviation of the BJP’s campaign from the issues of development and good governance, as Mr. Modi sees it, but fears over the fringe elements of the Sangh Parivar exerting an excessive influence over a party seen as the front-runner in the race to form the next government. Distancing himself from Mr. Togadia can only be the first step: Mr. Modi needs to reassure voters that his is not a divisive, sectarian agenda, and that if he were to head the next government he would act in the interests of all sections of the country — and not serve merely as the prime minister of the Hindu majority.
http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/a-sinister-design/article5938085.ece
By asking Hindus not to allow Muslims to buy property in ‘Hindu localities’, Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Praveen Togadia was seeking to undermine the basic constitutional values of the nation. This was no ordinary ‘hate speech’ made in the rough and tumble of elections. Mr. Togadia’s intent was far more sinister than swinging the election mood in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party. It certainly appeared to have a more long-term objective: to create a feeling of insecurity among India’s Muslims, push them into ghettos, and encourage Hindus to engage in violent action against them. Article 14 of the Constitution guarantees equality before law within the territory of India, and Article 15 prohibits discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth. Article 19(e) protects the rights of a citizen to reside and settle in any part of the territory of India. The VHP firebrand’s call to his Hindu audience was thus an incitement to violence and illegal actions, an invitation to encroach on properties bought by Muslims from Hindus. By asking his supporters to pressure the state to invoke — actually misuse — the Disturbed Areas Act to prevent Muslims from moving into so-called Hindu localities, Mr. Togadia was not displaying an ignorance of the country’s laws: he was actually setting a majoritarian agenda for the government.
That Mr. Togadia’s speech would not serve the immediate goals of the BJP was evident soon enough. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the mentor of both the BJP and the VHP, after first denying Mr. Togadia made such remarks, came out expressing disapproval of any discrimination on the basis of religion or caste. Coming as it did after party candidate Giriraj Singh’s speech that said the critics of the prime ministerial aspirant Narendra Modi had no place in India, but belonged in Pakistan, the BJP was expected to make an unambiguous statement condemning Mr. Togadia’s brand of politics. Mr. Modi tweeted that he disapproved of any irresponsible statement from those claiming to be the BJP’s well-wishers, but he was reluctant to go any further. At the heart of the controversy is not the question of any deviation of the BJP’s campaign from the issues of development and good governance, as Mr. Modi sees it, but fears over the fringe elements of the Sangh Parivar exerting an excessive influence over a party seen as the front-runner in the race to form the next government. Distancing himself from Mr. Togadia can only be the first step: Mr. Modi needs to reassure voters that his is not a divisive, sectarian agenda, and that if he were to head the next government he would act in the interests of all sections of the country — and not serve merely as the prime minister of the Hindu majority.
India: Pravin Togadia’s real estate advice | Aakar Patel
Livemint, April 22 2014
Pravin Togadia’s real estate advice
This is a direct translation of a recent talk by the politician on property matters
Aakar Patel
The poll panel has asked the district administration to take action against Pravin Togadia over his hate speech and also directed to submit action-taken report as soon as possible. Photo: Arvind Yadav/Hindustan Times
This is an exact translation of Pravin Togadia’s talk on Saturday to a neighbourhood gathering in Bhavnagar.
The meeting was called after a man, apparently a Dawoodi Bohra, bought a property in a Hindu area. The other Hindus in the neighbourhood want him out. Togadia is offering them advice.
The video is clear and so is the audio. No words or sentences are inaudible.
“In many of India’s villages and cities, Muslims have been doing this sort of thing for a long time.
They buy one building at high price, and then buy out at half-price the surrounding buildings owned by Hindus.
This is a part of their strategy.
How can this be stopped? It can be stopped in two ways.
First, that the government applies the Disturbed Areas Act, which has been applied in Ahmedabad and elsewhere. This happened after an agitation during the Congress government, and exists before the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party). If this Act is applied in Hindu-majority neighbourhoods, Muslims will be forbidden from buying property. Not even through a power of attorney. For this, put pressure on the government and get it done.
The second way is to consult a lawyer, forcibly occupy the building and put a Bajrang Dal board on it. Forcibly occupy the building and put a Bajrang Dal board and then we fight it out in court (applause). Nobody has been hanged for illegally taking over someone else’s property.
If a case is filed, we’ll fight it out and if Rajiv Gandhi’s killers were not hanged none of us is about to be hanged (applause).
Start a Bajrang Dal office. When they come to take possession we’ll sort them out. (applause)
This my straight, direct action talk.
Try to get the law changed by the government also. For that, get together, put it in writing and hold a press conference, and make a demand of the government. That they apply the Act and ensure that in Hindu majority areas no Muslim be allowed to buy property. Such a law is in place in both Baroda and Ahmedabad and I had myself agitated for it. I’m the man principally responsible for its legislation in Gujarat. By this I mean when I was in Gujarat, around 1990 or so.
This law can also be applied in Bhavnagar. For it a memorandum has to be prepared and given to the government.
The elections are upon us. The mouth will only open if the nose is force-pressed. When we feed our son medicine we need to hold his nose. If we can do this even to our child, we need feel no shame in doing it to the government. No need to differentiate between BJP and Congress in such things.
For the protection of Hindus, press the BJP’s nose and the Congress’s nose. The protection of Hindus is the principal issue, the political party is not the principal issue.
Even those in the BJP should not be ashamed to do this. And those in the Congress should not bring politics into this. Whether the BJP is better or the Congress, let us not get into this.
Let us get together and put pressure to bring this Act to bear. Consult the lawyer tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, break the lock and put a Bajrang Dal board.
I’ve done this before, and I’ve kept possession of a building for a long time through a Bajrang Dal board. The Muslim lost his money and the building both (applause). The case kept being fought out in court.
What I’ve just said, brothers and sisters, don’t make it public, all right? (laughter).
Do a gherao and a group of 500-1,000 should be there in the gherao. Look: Taking the law into their hands, Muslims in Kashmir frighten the army. So where we have a majority, we should be brave enough to take the law into our hands and frighten them. (applause).
To gherao him in his shop that is such an attempt to frighten him. We should not run away, his (Sala’s) shop we should shut instead. This is an aggressive war strategy.
You go for the gherao of his shop, and put a board of the Bajrang Dal or Vishwa Hindu Parishad.
Is that all right?
Announce at the press conference that if the building is not taken back in 48 hours then thousands of us will arrive for a gherao of his shop.
And go with stones and rocks, and burn tyres. Create the atmosphere of a riot (laughter). They will fall at your feet, saying: “It’s election time, please don’t do this now”.
Tell them: “Then get our building vacated and chase him off.”
Get the police commissioner involved. Have you understood? Tomorrow or day after hold the press conference. Announce the programme to gherao the Vohra’s shop. Come there in full strength. Women should be in front. And sisters, listen: We do not run away. We chase them off. That is our way. Go to their shops and chase them from there.
Organise programmes to spit on them when they come out. They have to come out, right? There’s no punishment for spitting on people (laughter). There’s no punishment for pelting tomatoes on people.
Ten-fifteen youngsters should keep vigil and the moment they come out, pelt them with tomatoes.
I’ve fought this fight for many years. Even if some don’t like it, move in this direction and fight on many fronts. Either the building is vacated or the occupation is ours. If his money is gone it’s gone. No point in fighting now with the Hindu who sold the property. He, poor fellow, has sold and left.
These are the few things I wanted to say. Let them fight it out in court so long as we have possession. And the neighbours should give an affidavit saying that the Bajrang Dal was running an office there for six months. All right, then, sorted?”
(He leaves amid cries of support).
Pravin Togadia’s real estate advice
This is a direct translation of a recent talk by the politician on property matters
Aakar Patel
The poll panel has asked the district administration to take action against Pravin Togadia over his hate speech and also directed to submit action-taken report as soon as possible. Photo: Arvind Yadav/Hindustan Times
This is an exact translation of Pravin Togadia’s talk on Saturday to a neighbourhood gathering in Bhavnagar.
The meeting was called after a man, apparently a Dawoodi Bohra, bought a property in a Hindu area. The other Hindus in the neighbourhood want him out. Togadia is offering them advice.
The video is clear and so is the audio. No words or sentences are inaudible.
“In many of India’s villages and cities, Muslims have been doing this sort of thing for a long time.
They buy one building at high price, and then buy out at half-price the surrounding buildings owned by Hindus.
This is a part of their strategy.
How can this be stopped? It can be stopped in two ways.
First, that the government applies the Disturbed Areas Act, which has been applied in Ahmedabad and elsewhere. This happened after an agitation during the Congress government, and exists before the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party). If this Act is applied in Hindu-majority neighbourhoods, Muslims will be forbidden from buying property. Not even through a power of attorney. For this, put pressure on the government and get it done.
The second way is to consult a lawyer, forcibly occupy the building and put a Bajrang Dal board on it. Forcibly occupy the building and put a Bajrang Dal board and then we fight it out in court (applause). Nobody has been hanged for illegally taking over someone else’s property.
If a case is filed, we’ll fight it out and if Rajiv Gandhi’s killers were not hanged none of us is about to be hanged (applause).
Start a Bajrang Dal office. When they come to take possession we’ll sort them out. (applause)
This my straight, direct action talk.
Try to get the law changed by the government also. For that, get together, put it in writing and hold a press conference, and make a demand of the government. That they apply the Act and ensure that in Hindu majority areas no Muslim be allowed to buy property. Such a law is in place in both Baroda and Ahmedabad and I had myself agitated for it. I’m the man principally responsible for its legislation in Gujarat. By this I mean when I was in Gujarat, around 1990 or so.
This law can also be applied in Bhavnagar. For it a memorandum has to be prepared and given to the government.
The elections are upon us. The mouth will only open if the nose is force-pressed. When we feed our son medicine we need to hold his nose. If we can do this even to our child, we need feel no shame in doing it to the government. No need to differentiate between BJP and Congress in such things.
For the protection of Hindus, press the BJP’s nose and the Congress’s nose. The protection of Hindus is the principal issue, the political party is not the principal issue.
Even those in the BJP should not be ashamed to do this. And those in the Congress should not bring politics into this. Whether the BJP is better or the Congress, let us not get into this.
Let us get together and put pressure to bring this Act to bear. Consult the lawyer tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, break the lock and put a Bajrang Dal board.
I’ve done this before, and I’ve kept possession of a building for a long time through a Bajrang Dal board. The Muslim lost his money and the building both (applause). The case kept being fought out in court.
What I’ve just said, brothers and sisters, don’t make it public, all right? (laughter).
Do a gherao and a group of 500-1,000 should be there in the gherao. Look: Taking the law into their hands, Muslims in Kashmir frighten the army. So where we have a majority, we should be brave enough to take the law into our hands and frighten them. (applause).
To gherao him in his shop that is such an attempt to frighten him. We should not run away, his (Sala’s) shop we should shut instead. This is an aggressive war strategy.
You go for the gherao of his shop, and put a board of the Bajrang Dal or Vishwa Hindu Parishad.
Is that all right?
Announce at the press conference that if the building is not taken back in 48 hours then thousands of us will arrive for a gherao of his shop.
And go with stones and rocks, and burn tyres. Create the atmosphere of a riot (laughter). They will fall at your feet, saying: “It’s election time, please don’t do this now”.
Tell them: “Then get our building vacated and chase him off.”
Get the police commissioner involved. Have you understood? Tomorrow or day after hold the press conference. Announce the programme to gherao the Vohra’s shop. Come there in full strength. Women should be in front. And sisters, listen: We do not run away. We chase them off. That is our way. Go to their shops and chase them from there.
Organise programmes to spit on them when they come out. They have to come out, right? There’s no punishment for spitting on people (laughter). There’s no punishment for pelting tomatoes on people.
Ten-fifteen youngsters should keep vigil and the moment they come out, pelt them with tomatoes.
I’ve fought this fight for many years. Even if some don’t like it, move in this direction and fight on many fronts. Either the building is vacated or the occupation is ours. If his money is gone it’s gone. No point in fighting now with the Hindu who sold the property. He, poor fellow, has sold and left.
These are the few things I wanted to say. Let them fight it out in court so long as we have possession. And the neighbours should give an affidavit saying that the Bajrang Dal was running an office there for six months. All right, then, sorted?”
(He leaves amid cries of support).
India 2014 elections: Online Petition to Chief Justice of India Urging Him to Take Action against Pravin Togadia for His Hate Speech
To read and sign this petition go here: http://chn.ge/1hghpxS
India: On Moderation in the BJP and The Hindu Right - R Prasad Cartoon in Mail Today | 23 April 2014
Page 6, Mail Today, 23 April 2014
April 22, 2014
India: EC orders cops to book Togadia for hate speech against Muslims
[Apart from <http://timesofindia.
Apr 22 2014 : The Times of India (Mumbai)
EC orders cops to book Togadia for hate speech against Muslims
Rajkot/Ahmedabad:
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
|
RSS, BJP In Denial; Video Nails Charge
The Election Commission has directed the Bhavnagar district
administration to file an FIR against VHP leader Pravin Togadia for a
hate speech on Saturday when he called for the forcible eviction of a Muslim family from a locality dominated by Hindus.
On Monday
, Gujarat chief electoral officer Anita Karwal said, “We have inquired
about the incident and have directed the filing of an FIR.“
But Togadia denied making such a speech and threatened to sue publications, such as TOI, that had carried reports of it. The RSS's Ram Madhav tweeted, “Pravinbhai had not said anything attributed to him. It was a fabricated news.“
To see the speech video, go to http://www.toi.in/togadia
Meanwhile, the late shehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan's family has refused to propose Modi's name in Varanasi. P 9, 10 BJP spokesman Prakash Javadekar on Monday denied that VHP leader Pravin Togadia had made any hate speech against Muslims in Bhavnagar. The strenuous denials are, however, at odds with the video of Togadia's speech, a copy of which is in TOI's possession.
On Saturday , Togadia had joined a street protest to drive out a Muslim family from a house purchased by it in Meghani Circle area, Bhavnagar.
He told the gathering that they should give the family a 48-hour ultimatum, and if the house wasn't vacated, storm it with “stones, tyres and tomatoes“ and put up a Bajrang Dal board on the house.
After this was reported on Monday , local VHP members were seen looking for persons who videographed Togadia's speech on Saturday night.
Congress leader Kapil Sibal said, “Togadia always spreads venom. And he belongs to that category of people in this country that does not believe in the unity and the integrity of India.“ The AAP demanded action against Togadia for “vitiating the peaceful atmosphere“ during elections.
But Togadia denied making such a speech and threatened to sue publications, such as TOI, that had carried reports of it. The RSS's Ram Madhav tweeted, “Pravinbhai had not said anything attributed to him. It was a fabricated news.“
To see the speech video, go to http://www.toi.in/togadia
Meanwhile, the late shehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan's family has refused to propose Modi's name in Varanasi. P 9, 10 BJP spokesman Prakash Javadekar on Monday denied that VHP leader Pravin Togadia had made any hate speech against Muslims in Bhavnagar. The strenuous denials are, however, at odds with the video of Togadia's speech, a copy of which is in TOI's possession.
On Saturday , Togadia had joined a street protest to drive out a Muslim family from a house purchased by it in Meghani Circle area, Bhavnagar.
He told the gathering that they should give the family a 48-hour ultimatum, and if the house wasn't vacated, storm it with “stones, tyres and tomatoes“ and put up a Bajrang Dal board on the house.
After this was reported on Monday , local VHP members were seen looking for persons who videographed Togadia's speech on Saturday night.
Congress leader Kapil Sibal said, “Togadia always spreads venom. And he belongs to that category of people in this country that does not believe in the unity and the integrity of India.“ The AAP demanded action against Togadia for “vitiating the peaceful atmosphere“ during elections.
April 21, 2014
India: Pravin Togadia, World Hindu Council President and BJP supporter wants Muslims evicted from Bhavnagar in Gujarat
The Times of India
Evict Muslims from Hindu areas: Pravin Togadia
Vijaysinh Parmar,TNN | Apr 21, 2014, 03.11 AM IST
READ MORE Vishwa Hindu Parishad|Togadia Remark on Muslims|Pravin Togadia Bhavnagar Comment|Pravin Togadia
Evict Muslims from Hindu areas: Pravin Togadia
VHP president Pravin Togadia.
RAJKOT: Vishwa Hindu Parishad's (VHP) president Pravin Togadia sent temperatures soaring in Bhavnagar on Saturday evening with a hate speech that targeted Muslims for buying properties in Hindu areas.
At night, Togadia joined a group of VHP and Bajrang Dal members on a street protest outside a house purchased by a Muslim businessman near Meghani Circle. While saffron groups have been regularly organizing 'Ram Dhuns' and 'Ram Darbars' to thwart such deals, Togadia went a step further by asking the protesters to take complete control of the house and put a 'Bajrang Dal' board on it.
Togadia told the gathering that there were two ways to stop such deals. One is to pressurize the state government to bring in Disturbed Areas Act in Bhavnagar, which prevents inter-community sale of immovable property. The second is to take forcible possession of the house and fight a legal battle later which will go on for years.
He gave the Muslim occupant 48 hours to vacate the house. "If he does not relent, go with stones, tyres and tomatoes to his office. There is nothing wrong in it. Killers of Rajiv Gandhi have not been hanged ... there is nothing to fear and the case will go on," Togadia told the charged-up gathering.
"I have done it in the past and Muslims have lost both property and money," he said.
He also said that this election is the best time to pressurize political parties to ensure safety of Hindus. "Don't be reluctant to pressurize Congress or BJP for the sake of Hindus' safety," he said.
After the event was over, tension was palpable and police feared that the mob might attack the house. A team of policemen has been stationed outside the house to avert any trouble.
=====
Evict Muslims from Hindu areas: Pravin Togadia
Vijaysinh Parmar,TNN | Apr 21, 2014, 03.11 AM IST
READ MORE Vishwa Hindu Parishad|Togadia Remark on Muslims|Pravin Togadia Bhavnagar Comment|Pravin Togadia
Evict Muslims from Hindu areas: Pravin Togadia
VHP president Pravin Togadia.
RAJKOT: Vishwa Hindu Parishad's (VHP) president Pravin Togadia sent temperatures soaring in Bhavnagar on Saturday evening with a hate speech that targeted Muslims for buying properties in Hindu areas.
At night, Togadia joined a group of VHP and Bajrang Dal members on a street protest outside a house purchased by a Muslim businessman near Meghani Circle. While saffron groups have been regularly organizing 'Ram Dhuns' and 'Ram Darbars' to thwart such deals, Togadia went a step further by asking the protesters to take complete control of the house and put a 'Bajrang Dal' board on it.
Togadia told the gathering that there were two ways to stop such deals. One is to pressurize the state government to bring in Disturbed Areas Act in Bhavnagar, which prevents inter-community sale of immovable property. The second is to take forcible possession of the house and fight a legal battle later which will go on for years.
He gave the Muslim occupant 48 hours to vacate the house. "If he does not relent, go with stones, tyres and tomatoes to his office. There is nothing wrong in it. Killers of Rajiv Gandhi have not been hanged ... there is nothing to fear and the case will go on," Togadia told the charged-up gathering.
"I have done it in the past and Muslims have lost both property and money," he said.
He also said that this election is the best time to pressurize political parties to ensure safety of Hindus. "Don't be reluctant to pressurize Congress or BJP for the sake of Hindus' safety," he said.
After the event was over, tension was palpable and police feared that the mob might attack the house. A team of policemen has been stationed outside the house to avert any trouble.
=====
March 31, 2014
An illustration of a communal speech by the RSS/BJP nuts : Two video links
An illustration of a communal speech by the RSS/BJP network : See this link of a recent speech by VHP leader Praveen Togadia in February 2014 , in Kerala. Do see the part around 7 minute 30 seconds when he openly threatens muslims saying, 'Don't forget Muzaffarnagar, Gujarat and Khokrajhar'.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UudVgLdVRRc#t=1973
An illustration of RSS/BJP intentions post elections: See this interview of Dr Subramanian Swamy saying that muslims who formally do not accept Hindu ancestry will be stripped of their citizenship.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LO-Wxp-gCWM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UudVgLdVRRc#t=1973
An illustration of RSS/BJP intentions post elections: See this interview of Dr Subramanian Swamy saying that muslims who formally do not accept Hindu ancestry will be stripped of their citizenship.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LO-Wxp-gCWM
March 27, 2014
August 25, 2013
India: How the Notorious Far Right Leader Praveen Togadia Sneaked Into Ayodhya despite tight security?
From: The Hindu
Ayodhya, August 25, 2013
How did Togadia enter Ayodhya despite tight security?
Omar Rashid
The Hindu: Pravin Togadia, Working president of VHP being arrested outside the Sadguru temple at Gola Ghat in Ayodhya on Sunday. Photo: Arunangsu Roy
Even as Vishwa Hindu Parishad president Pravin Togadia was arrested from Ayodhya on Sunday for defying prohibitory orders against the 84-kosi parikrama yatra, his appearance from a temple remained a mystery in view of the tight security arrangements by the State.
There were speculations that Mr. Togadia must have entered the town days before the administration sealed the borders of Faizabad district to stop the yatra, which is being held in support of Ram Mandir at Ayodhya. However, sources informed The Hindu that Mr. Togadia had breached the security and entered the temple town late on Saturday night despite having an arrest warrant issued against him.
VHP spokesperson Sharad Sharma admitted that, “Togadiaji arrived in Ayodhya on Saturday night in a vehicle.”
Asked how Mr. Togadia was facilitated to breach the heavy security arrangement, Mr. Sharma said, “It is still a mystery. But all I can tell you is that he entered Ayodhya just like how senior VHP leaders entered the town in 1992.”
Faizabad range DIG B.D. Paulson also conceded that Mr. Togadia had managed to enter the town late on Saturday night.
“We came to know about it but didn’t know the location. We kept getting the locations and arrested him as soon as he broke the prohibitory orders,” he said.
How Mr. Togadia managed to enter the town, when he, on Sunday morning, courted arrest amid dramatic scenes in front of a large posse of journalists, officials and security personnel, he said: “These are assumptions we cannot answer.”
A high-ranking police officer, wishing to remain anonymous due to administrative reasons, said: “The security personnel were on duty from 3.am. He could have entered before that. Ayodhya has many lanes which he could have used."
The Congress party has been terming the yatra and its ban a fixed-match between the SP and the BJP.
Ayodhya, August 25, 2013
How did Togadia enter Ayodhya despite tight security?
Omar Rashid
The Hindu: Pravin Togadia, Working president of VHP being arrested outside the Sadguru temple at Gola Ghat in Ayodhya on Sunday. Photo: Arunangsu Roy
Even as Vishwa Hindu Parishad president Pravin Togadia was arrested from Ayodhya on Sunday for defying prohibitory orders against the 84-kosi parikrama yatra, his appearance from a temple remained a mystery in view of the tight security arrangements by the State.
There were speculations that Mr. Togadia must have entered the town days before the administration sealed the borders of Faizabad district to stop the yatra, which is being held in support of Ram Mandir at Ayodhya. However, sources informed The Hindu that Mr. Togadia had breached the security and entered the temple town late on Saturday night despite having an arrest warrant issued against him.
VHP spokesperson Sharad Sharma admitted that, “Togadiaji arrived in Ayodhya on Saturday night in a vehicle.”
Asked how Mr. Togadia was facilitated to breach the heavy security arrangement, Mr. Sharma said, “It is still a mystery. But all I can tell you is that he entered Ayodhya just like how senior VHP leaders entered the town in 1992.”
Faizabad range DIG B.D. Paulson also conceded that Mr. Togadia had managed to enter the town late on Saturday night.
“We came to know about it but didn’t know the location. We kept getting the locations and arrested him as soon as he broke the prohibitory orders,” he said.
How Mr. Togadia managed to enter the town, when he, on Sunday morning, courted arrest amid dramatic scenes in front of a large posse of journalists, officials and security personnel, he said: “These are assumptions we cannot answer.”
A high-ranking police officer, wishing to remain anonymous due to administrative reasons, said: “The security personnel were on duty from 3.am. He could have entered before that. Ayodhya has many lanes which he could have used."
The Congress party has been terming the yatra and its ban a fixed-match between the SP and the BJP.
August 15, 2013
India: Far Right VHP to declare Gujarat a Hindu state by 2015: Togadia
Invoking the issue of the "insecure Hindu", Togadia said, "To protect and prosper, Hindus themselves have to gear up, by becoming true practicing Hindus, aware Hindus and active Hindus"
http://www.tehelka.com/vhp-will-declare-gujarat-a-hindu-state-by-2015-togadia/
http://www.tehelka.com/vhp-will-declare-gujarat-a-hindu-state-by-2015-togadia/
April 06, 2013
VHP will declare Gujarat a Hindu state by 2015: Pravin Togadia
From: Indian Express
VHP will declare Gujarat a Hindu state by 2015: Pravin Togadia
PTI : Ahmedabad, Sun Mar 31 2013, 23:38 hrs
VHP will declare Gujarat a "Hindu state" by 2015 besides having its presence in all 18,000 villages of the state in the next two years, the outfit's leader Pravin Togadia claimed today.
"In two years, the VHP will have a presence in all 18,000 villages of Gujarat and by 2015, we will declare Gujarat a Hindu state," VHP's international working president Pravin Togadia told VHP followers who gathered here for a 'Hindu Sangam' event.
The event was organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad to launch a new movement called 'Hindu Ahead, for Hindu Security and Prosperity', which aims to reach out to Hindus in villages, towns, cities and tribal areas.
Invoking the issue of the "insecure Hindu", Togadia said, "To protect and prosper, Hindus themselves have to gear up, by becoming true practicing Hindus, aware Hindus and active Hindus".
The absence of Narendra Modi at the function was conspicuous though the VHP organised the event in the area which falls in the Gujarat Chief Minister's constituency.
In the past, the Gujarat VHP has been at loggerheads with Modi over a range of issues including demolition of illegal temples in Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad.
The VHP, through its 'Hindu Sangam' announced plans for the resurrection of the organisation, which would celebrate 50 years of its inception in 2014.
Raising the issue of Ram Mandir, Togadia said, "Unless and until we will become Hindus, not only by our behaviour, but with our practice and awareness, only then will our dream of building Ram Mandir at Ayodhya be fulfilled."
VHP's joint organisational secretary Vinayakrao Deshpande talked about dwindling support for the outfit in Gujarat. He mentioned that 10 years ago there were more than 10,000 committees in the state which has come down to 6,000 at present.
VHP will declare Gujarat a Hindu state by 2015: Pravin Togadia
PTI : Ahmedabad, Sun Mar 31 2013, 23:38 hrs
VHP will declare Gujarat a "Hindu state" by 2015 besides having its presence in all 18,000 villages of the state in the next two years, the outfit's leader Pravin Togadia claimed today.
"In two years, the VHP will have a presence in all 18,000 villages of Gujarat and by 2015, we will declare Gujarat a Hindu state," VHP's international working president Pravin Togadia told VHP followers who gathered here for a 'Hindu Sangam' event.
The event was organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad to launch a new movement called 'Hindu Ahead, for Hindu Security and Prosperity', which aims to reach out to Hindus in villages, towns, cities and tribal areas.
Invoking the issue of the "insecure Hindu", Togadia said, "To protect and prosper, Hindus themselves have to gear up, by becoming true practicing Hindus, aware Hindus and active Hindus".
The absence of Narendra Modi at the function was conspicuous though the VHP organised the event in the area which falls in the Gujarat Chief Minister's constituency.
In the past, the Gujarat VHP has been at loggerheads with Modi over a range of issues including demolition of illegal temples in Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad.
The VHP, through its 'Hindu Sangam' announced plans for the resurrection of the organisation, which would celebrate 50 years of its inception in 2014.
Raising the issue of Ram Mandir, Togadia said, "Unless and until we will become Hindus, not only by our behaviour, but with our practice and awareness, only then will our dream of building Ram Mandir at Ayodhya be fulfilled."
VHP's joint organisational secretary Vinayakrao Deshpande talked about dwindling support for the outfit in Gujarat. He mentioned that 10 years ago there were more than 10,000 committees in the state which has come down to 6,000 at present.
February 22, 2013
Hyderabad: Target Composite Culture Again
[recieved via email] Feb 22, 2013 at 10:07 PM
Mustafa Khan
Muslim scattered section of the old city, Konark theatre,
Venkatadri theatre, time 7 pm Thursday 21, 2013 two bombs exploded
killing 18 people and injuring more than 50; and a third bomb remained
unexploded at a footbridge. All these happened within hundred meters
from each other.
It is eerie realization but true that the city had it coming
what with frequent visits of Praveen Togadia to the city, Akbaruddin
Oweisi openly and defiantly challenging the Hindu right to a face to
face confrontation for fifteen minutes sans police. In this face off
every one would hold breath in expectation as to who throws the
gauntlet and who takes it up first. Zee News reported that it was the
Indian Mujahideen behind the blasts. This is the preprogrammed
automation reply. Doubts will be raised later and case would prolong.
This is beginning at square one unless an early breakthrough changes
the set scene. Beginning in default of the real.
It did not take long to come. Chief Minister Narendra Modi
asked his state ATS and state Intelligence Bureau ( the collusion of
Modi and Rajedra Kumar of IB is known fact in many cases including the
intelligence input of IB of Centre Government on Ishrat Jehan as
terrorist)to contact their counterpart in Hyderabad. In all the fake
encounters of Gujarat Hyderabad police colluded with the Gujarat
police with impunity, be it the murder of Haren Pandiya, Sohrabuddeen,
or even the Ahmadabad blasts. Police officer Narendra Amin not only
was involved in killing Sohrabuddin/Tulsiram Prajapati but he also
killed with his service gun a Maulana’s son when the Muslims of
Hyderabad protested against the arrest of innocent people including
the Maulana. Till today the Andhra Pradesh police have not bothered to
make forensic examination of the service gun let alone question
Narendra Amin.
However, the police in Gujarat are on high alert and asked to
keep tight vigil and watch the crowds, perhaps a hint that the
planters of bomb in Hyderabad may have fled there as they might have
revenge for 2002 massacre of Muslims in Gujarat as motivation.
The central government had on Tuesday sent an advisory asking
all states to tighten security in sensitive places as Lashkar-e-Taiba,
Jaish-e-Mohammad and Hizbul Mujahideen may launch attacks to avenge
the hanging of Ajmal Kasab and Afzal Guru. This is also reaction in
default of the real. Even the papers have several reports of the same
nature. The Delhi police claims ipso facto that the IM accused Syed
Maqbool and Imran(arrested in October 2012) had recced the cites at
Abids road, Dilsukh nager, in July 2012. That they had done it for
Riyaz Bhatkar as usual in all the recent attacks including July 13,
2012 attack in Mumbai and the Pune low intensity blasts. (AA Feb 22,
2013)
There is more disturbing news of how the Gujarat police in
association with the Andhra/Maharashtra police are doing its official
work. To save Yashpal Chadda from arrest in Sohrabuddin case Nitin
Shainai and Rajesh Ranjan had given 3 crore to a cop Amitabh Thakur.
This was paid ultimately to the CBI chief Kanda Swamy. Thus the
undertable business in vibrant Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh went on.
What is even more ominous, one cror was transferred to a central
government officer. (Asia Express Feb 22.) Of course, Thakur and Kanda
Swamy denied the charges. But interestingly a Home Guard officer had
told Kanda Swamy, at Nasik that Vijay Neelkanth Pophale (RSS activist)
had kept two of the bombers of September 8, 2006 in Tulsi lodge at
Satana Naka, Malegaon, no heed was given to it. The lead was lost.
Even in Malegaon a rich man Mahesh Patodiya had paid one cror 65 lakh
for the blasts to a police officer the lead was not taken up for
consideration. The police had called Patodiya and twenty Hindus for
questioning but let them off. Even if this was part of grapevine there
was need to investigate because the police had taken the Home Guard to
Nasik specifically at the instance of Kanda Swamy IG level officer of
CBI. Under the ruse of Malegaon terror attacks of 2006 and 2008 were
subsumed under jehadi terrorism and wrongfully innocent people were
accused and put in prison. In the case of the later attack after
suspenseful lull Hemant Karkare did what no one had done before.
The game of hunting for Muslims is again on. If Riyaz Bhatkal
and Imran are indigenous terrorists then seeking their higher ups in
Afghanistan and Pakistan is preposterous proposition. That is where
the investigation agencies go astray. Their home work is incomplete
and inadequate. So Indian foreign secretary on a tour in the US was
less than indigenuous like the erstwhile National Security Advison MK
Narayanan when the latter derailed the Samjhauta express attack
investigation in the larger context of fighting terrorism in the
aftermath of the attack on the Indian embassy in Afghanistan. Ranjan
Mathai for the same reason perplexes others rather than clarifying
anything when he says while touring the US: “Terrorism is and will
remain a pre-eminent security challenge for both our countries. Our
convergence on the source and the nature of the threat in our region
has never been greater. It is therefore a challenge that provides us
an opportunity for enhanced cooperation in combating terror and
protecting our people from it. This is even more of an imperative
today, as we move into a period of significant uncertainty in the next
few years.” He finds the “source and the nature of the threat” in
Afghanistan, and of course, Pakistan. And now you have it.
The third attack in Hyderabad coincided with the Indian
Parliament going into the budget session and the home minister
apologizing for his remark that BJP and RSS have been training Hindu
youths in mounting terror attack. The big question now is who mounted
this attack in Hyderabad.
Another big question is the source of RDX. In Pakistan RDX is
easily available in the market, in India it is used by the army. So
the terror attacks of 2006 have the provenance of RDX in the explosive
substance seized by the ATS in the so called arms haul case of
Aurangabad. Zabiuddin Ansari or Abu Jundal is involved, the police
claim. But the man who reportedly gave him the Tata Indica in
Aurangabad denied in the MCOCA court before the judge, SV Modak that
he ever rented out the car to Zabi. This also came out on the day of
Hyderabad blast. Who will now clear all this murk? Sushil Kumar Shinde
said that BJP and RSS are training youths to explode bombs but now he
says that he regretted it and the RSS says the he should apologize but
Congress reasserts that Shinde’s accusation was based on facts!
Whatever ultimately turns out to be case—whether it was really
United Jihad Council, even—the face-off between Togadia and Akbaruddin
gave an opportunity the deepen the gulf.
Mustafa Khan
Muslim scattered section of the old city, Konark theatre,
Venkatadri theatre, time 7 pm Thursday 21, 2013 two bombs exploded
killing 18 people and injuring more than 50; and a third bomb remained
unexploded at a footbridge. All these happened within hundred meters
from each other.
It is eerie realization but true that the city had it coming
what with frequent visits of Praveen Togadia to the city, Akbaruddin
Oweisi openly and defiantly challenging the Hindu right to a face to
face confrontation for fifteen minutes sans police. In this face off
every one would hold breath in expectation as to who throws the
gauntlet and who takes it up first. Zee News reported that it was the
Indian Mujahideen behind the blasts. This is the preprogrammed
automation reply. Doubts will be raised later and case would prolong.
This is beginning at square one unless an early breakthrough changes
the set scene. Beginning in default of the real.
It did not take long to come. Chief Minister Narendra Modi
asked his state ATS and state Intelligence Bureau ( the collusion of
Modi and Rajedra Kumar of IB is known fact in many cases including the
intelligence input of IB of Centre Government on Ishrat Jehan as
terrorist)to contact their counterpart in Hyderabad. In all the fake
encounters of Gujarat Hyderabad police colluded with the Gujarat
police with impunity, be it the murder of Haren Pandiya, Sohrabuddeen,
or even the Ahmadabad blasts. Police officer Narendra Amin not only
was involved in killing Sohrabuddin/Tulsiram Prajapati but he also
killed with his service gun a Maulana’s son when the Muslims of
Hyderabad protested against the arrest of innocent people including
the Maulana. Till today the Andhra Pradesh police have not bothered to
make forensic examination of the service gun let alone question
Narendra Amin.
However, the police in Gujarat are on high alert and asked to
keep tight vigil and watch the crowds, perhaps a hint that the
planters of bomb in Hyderabad may have fled there as they might have
revenge for 2002 massacre of Muslims in Gujarat as motivation.
The central government had on Tuesday sent an advisory asking
all states to tighten security in sensitive places as Lashkar-e-Taiba,
Jaish-e-Mohammad and Hizbul Mujahideen may launch attacks to avenge
the hanging of Ajmal Kasab and Afzal Guru. This is also reaction in
default of the real. Even the papers have several reports of the same
nature. The Delhi police claims ipso facto that the IM accused Syed
Maqbool and Imran(arrested in October 2012) had recced the cites at
Abids road, Dilsukh nager, in July 2012. That they had done it for
Riyaz Bhatkar as usual in all the recent attacks including July 13,
2012 attack in Mumbai and the Pune low intensity blasts. (AA Feb 22,
2013)
There is more disturbing news of how the Gujarat police in
association with the Andhra/Maharashtra police are doing its official
work. To save Yashpal Chadda from arrest in Sohrabuddin case Nitin
Shainai and Rajesh Ranjan had given 3 crore to a cop Amitabh Thakur.
This was paid ultimately to the CBI chief Kanda Swamy. Thus the
undertable business in vibrant Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh went on.
What is even more ominous, one cror was transferred to a central
government officer. (Asia Express Feb 22.) Of course, Thakur and Kanda
Swamy denied the charges. But interestingly a Home Guard officer had
told Kanda Swamy, at Nasik that Vijay Neelkanth Pophale (RSS activist)
had kept two of the bombers of September 8, 2006 in Tulsi lodge at
Satana Naka, Malegaon, no heed was given to it. The lead was lost.
Even in Malegaon a rich man Mahesh Patodiya had paid one cror 65 lakh
for the blasts to a police officer the lead was not taken up for
consideration. The police had called Patodiya and twenty Hindus for
questioning but let them off. Even if this was part of grapevine there
was need to investigate because the police had taken the Home Guard to
Nasik specifically at the instance of Kanda Swamy IG level officer of
CBI. Under the ruse of Malegaon terror attacks of 2006 and 2008 were
subsumed under jehadi terrorism and wrongfully innocent people were
accused and put in prison. In the case of the later attack after
suspenseful lull Hemant Karkare did what no one had done before.
The game of hunting for Muslims is again on. If Riyaz Bhatkal
and Imran are indigenous terrorists then seeking their higher ups in
Afghanistan and Pakistan is preposterous proposition. That is where
the investigation agencies go astray. Their home work is incomplete
and inadequate. So Indian foreign secretary on a tour in the US was
less than indigenuous like the erstwhile National Security Advison MK
Narayanan when the latter derailed the Samjhauta express attack
investigation in the larger context of fighting terrorism in the
aftermath of the attack on the Indian embassy in Afghanistan. Ranjan
Mathai for the same reason perplexes others rather than clarifying
anything when he says while touring the US: “Terrorism is and will
remain a pre-eminent security challenge for both our countries. Our
convergence on the source and the nature of the threat in our region
has never been greater. It is therefore a challenge that provides us
an opportunity for enhanced cooperation in combating terror and
protecting our people from it. This is even more of an imperative
today, as we move into a period of significant uncertainty in the next
few years.” He finds the “source and the nature of the threat” in
Afghanistan, and of course, Pakistan. And now you have it.
The third attack in Hyderabad coincided with the Indian
Parliament going into the budget session and the home minister
apologizing for his remark that BJP and RSS have been training Hindu
youths in mounting terror attack. The big question now is who mounted
this attack in Hyderabad.
Another big question is the source of RDX. In Pakistan RDX is
easily available in the market, in India it is used by the army. So
the terror attacks of 2006 have the provenance of RDX in the explosive
substance seized by the ATS in the so called arms haul case of
Aurangabad. Zabiuddin Ansari or Abu Jundal is involved, the police
claim. But the man who reportedly gave him the Tata Indica in
Aurangabad denied in the MCOCA court before the judge, SV Modak that
he ever rented out the car to Zabi. This also came out on the day of
Hyderabad blast. Who will now clear all this murk? Sushil Kumar Shinde
said that BJP and RSS are training youths to explode bombs but now he
says that he regretted it and the RSS says the he should apologize but
Congress reasserts that Shinde’s accusation was based on facts!
Whatever ultimately turns out to be case—whether it was really
United Jihad Council, even—the face-off between Togadia and Akbaruddin
gave an opportunity the deepen the gulf.
February 09, 2013
Subhash Gatade on Why the Police hasn't arrested Praveen Togadia
Mr Praveen Togadia, the international secretary general of VHP (Vishwa Hindu Parishad) is sitting pretty. It has been more than a week that a FIR has been filed against him for his alleged hatespeech in Bhokar town but since then there has been no progress. A news item which appeared in a leading daily mentioned in the beginning describes the game of ping pong which is going on between the police officials and the home minister over l’affaire Togadia.
http://www.sacw.net/article3688.html
http://www.sacw.net/article3688.html
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