VHP to launch movement for 'pro-Hindu' govt in UP

Varanasi, Feb 12 (UNI) The VHP today announced launching a movement for the installation of a 'pro-Hindu' government in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the assembly elections in the state.

VHP national vice-president Anand Shankar Pandya, interacting with newspersons here, said ''we are planning to launch a movement for installing a pro-Hindu government in UP ahead of assembly poll.'' ''The VHP will not support any particular party, but if any political outfit like BJP, swearing by the Hindu cause, benefits from the movement, it will be sheer coincidence,'' Mr Pandya added.

The saffron outfit leader while accepting a wedge between BJP and VHP, charged the BJP of not serving the cause of Hindutva while in power at the centre. ''The VHP during a period of 20 years helped the BJP significantly, even donating funds to the tune of crores of rupees, but while in power BJP under the escape route of NDA backtracked the philosophy of Hindutva.'' ''The BJP while in power at centre was ungrateful to VHP, which shrunk the political base of the former,'' he claimed.

Reiterating VHP's committment to the construction of Ram temple, Mr andya said ''it is hard to tell how long will it take for the frost between BJP and VHP to melt.'' Over the recent remarks by UP governor T V Rajeswar on Sanskrit, which sparked off violence at Sampoornand Sanskrit University (SSU) here, Mr Pandya said ''the VHP is planning to shortly demonstrate before the Raj Bhawan in Lucknow on the issue. Mr Rajeswar will have to clarify, who provoked him to make anti-Sanskrit statements, despite the fact that Sanskrit is the genesis of Indian culture.'' The VHP leader, however, did not disclose the date when the demonstration will be staged at Lucknow.

About the 27 per cent OBC reservation in higher education decided by the UPA government, Mr Pandya said will only benefit the cause of the rich and previliged among the OBC and the poor will continue to live pathetically.

''Even the parliamentary standing committee over the issue had recommended the creamy layer be kept out of the reservation, but the UPA government overlooked it for electoral gains.

UNI