Author: Sonal Desai
Publication: The Asian Age
Date: October 30, 2002
Maharashtra VHP state secretary
Ventakesh Aabdev will defy chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh's ban
on the party's international secretary
Praveen Togadia's entry to the state. Mr Aabdev speaks to Sonal Desai on
the party's recent fracas with the Congress and on other issues. Excerpts:
Q.: What is the controversy on Italy
ni Kutri all about?
A.: It is not a controversy. The
Congress has put those words in Mr Togadia's mouth and given it a political
hue. Mr Togadia had not referred to Mrs Sonia Gandhi at all in his speech.
Q.: But Congress workers from all
over the country have come down on the streets and staged protests against
Mr Togadia? Chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh has also asked the police
to disallow Mr Togadia from entering the state if he intends to make inflammatory
speeches.
A.: Consider the facts. Congress
activists gathered outside the VHP office in Grant Road and tried to burn
Mr Togadia's effigy. In Pune, they tried to blacken his face and in Nagpur,
they attempted to hurl eggs and tomatoes at him. Our people will retaliate.
The Congress should be banned. It disturbed law and order on the issue.
After the government declared a ban on Mr Togadia, he got invitation from
5,000 activists in Maharashtra to stage meets. He has agreed to address
a gathering at four places after Diwali.
Q.: Why has the VHP openly supported
Sena chief Bal Thackeray's call to form suicide squads?
A.: Mr Thackeray has called all
Indians to lay down their lives. His call is against anti-nationals who
attacked the Parliament, the Swaminarayan temple at Akshardham and who
tried to disrupt elections in Jammu and Kashmir. His statement should be
considered in a broader perspective. He has asked dedicated Indians to
come forward and fight jihadis. The government is not taking enough steps
and so the majority community will have to step up for its defence.
Q.: Mr Togadia had recently said
that 200 people have already enrolled in the suicide squad.
A.: The number has now increased
to 3,000 people.
Q.: But is the formation of the
suicide squads justified?
A.: Formation of suicide squads
does not mean that we we creating riots or acts of terrorism against Muslims.
VHP is a socio-cultural organisation, dedicated to the cause of the country.
We believe the country comes first and then religion. Suicide squads would
be beneficial to the Army, the police and even the government. We would
co-ordinate with these agencies before confronting terrorists.
Q.: Why is VHP being compared to
fundamentalist groups abroad?
A.: The comparision is not justified.
We are a multi-subjective organisation. We have 15,500 branches all over
the country. We run 5,106 educational institutes, 467 employment schools,
540 health posts, and 54 social welfare workshops. Which fundamentalist
group can boast of such branches?
Q.: Why have you suggested changes
in the Quran?
A.: Some things in the Quran are
misinterpreted by too zealous minds. Hindus should now independently preach
their religion and literature.
Q.: Why does the VHP distribute
trishul and swords during their public meets? Both weapons are symbols
of violence.
A.: No. Both weapons are symbols
of the Hindu dharma. The weapons are only as lengthy as the law will allow.
You can't even chop an onion with any of those.
Q.: What was the necessity to float
a separate party in J&K?
A.: There were differences in opinion.
They did not want a trifurcation. We want a seperate Jammu state for Hindus.
At present, terrorists are driving the Hindus away. Hence, a separate Jammu
is the only solution to keep infiltrators at bay.
Q.: What is the level of co-ordination
between the BJP, VHP and the Shiv Sena? Do you think, ideologically, the
VHP and Sena are more similar?
A.: BJP and VHP are siblings. Even
as one commits a mistake, the other sibling has a right to correct the
mistake. We are equally happy when the Sena or the BJP raises the issue
of Hindutva.
Q.: But do you think that the BJP
is drifting away from its Hindutva card?
A.: See, it is a coalition government.
They have not even raised the issue of Ram Janmabhoomi. They should consider
the welfare of the entire nation. Speaking on Hindutva would not make them
anti Muslims.
Q.: What do you think about Mr Atal
Behari Vajpayee's tenure as Prime Minister?
A.: Very good. But he has only
two years to raise the issue of Hindutva.
Q.: Do you have any specific programme
for Maharashtra?
A.: Yes. We want to transform the
state to a Siddhikshetra. We would launch a three-point programme in which
we will appeal to all Hindus to chant the slogan of "Jai Ram Shree Ram
Jai Jai Ram" 108 times a day, between December 1 and Feburary 14, 2003.
Once the slogan is chanted for 13 crore times, the state would achieve
Siddhikshetra. We would then perform yajnas, and hold dharma sabhas.
