Vinay, a milk vendor in a Muslim dominated locality of Central Mumbai, has long dreamt of a day when cows will no longer be slaughtered. Under the Modi regime, he feels his wish will finally be realized.
A ground-level worker of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Vinay is gearing up to be part of the outfit’s programme to check alleged cow slaughter during Bakra Eid, next month.
In the days leading up to the festival, the VHP sets up chowkis (booths) and deploys ‘flying squads’ to check the transportation of cows. Though this is not a new practice, this year the campaign will be intensified, the outfit claims. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi hain to apni takat badhi hai (Since Mr Modi became the Prime Minister, we feel stronger),” said Vinay.
Now in its 50th year, the VHP during its golden jubilee celebration meeting in Mumbai last month set clear goals of expansion and growth, with a focus on accelerating its “seva projects” that include cow protection, and curbing “love jihad” and conversions.
The new-found confidence stems from the coming into power of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, admits Mr. Venkatesh Apdeo, VHP, central committee member. “The administration would hinder our activities, but not any longer. We get cooperation of the administration across the country; there is definitely a soft-corner,” said Mr. Apdeo.
“Modi is Hindutva rakshak, Congress was Hindutva virodhi. It is natural for Modi to protect us,” he adds.
The Hindu right-wing group, which was founded 50 years ago in Mumbai, currently works through 1 lakh village committees across India with a force of 38 lakh ‘hitchintaks’ (well-wishers), says Mr. Apdeo. However, it has chalked out an elaborate plan of doubling those numbers within the next few years.
Under the slogan “Hindu hum sab ek (All Hindus are one)” it plans to increase its reach among the lower castes while also augmenting its manpower. It hopes to double its full-time volunteers from the current 6,182 by 2015.
The outfit has also has extensive plans to curb conversions and facilitate the “return of these converted into the Hindu fold (ghar vapasi).” The VHP’s Pravin Togadia had recently claimed the outfit had reconverted 7 lakh people in the last 50 years. “Why not 7 crores in the future,” asks Mr Apdeo.
