How Modi, Owaisi bring VHP back to limelight

Bangalore, Feb 7: Vishwa Hindu Parishad (

) recently has resumed making headlines with several controversies regarding

and Akbaruddin Owaisi.

Support for Modi as BJP's PM candidate for the 2014 election engaged the party members ahead of the much awaited Dharma Sansad that was held at Kumbh city in Allahabad on Thursday, Feb 7.

On the contrary a hate speech allegedly delivered by its executive president Praveen Togadia against MIM MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi put the party on a negative side. Speculations on Togadia's arrest have already started brewing.

VHP & its position in Indian political scenario:

VHP, a Hindu organisation, is based on Hindutva ideologies. The organisation was founded in 1964 and is associated with the Sangh Parivar which also includes the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

VHP & Narendra Modi controversy:

VHP is believed to play an important role in selecting the prime minister candidate for the BJP for the upcoming Lok Sabha election which is scheduled to be held in 2014. Despite several opposition, the Gujarat Chief Minister seems to have gained a strong support from the party leaders.

VHP landed in the debate when its leader Ashok Singhal had openly endorsed Modi for the PM candidate. Singhal claimed that Modi is as popular as India's first Prime Minister Jawharlal Nehru. However, other VHP leaders seem to be upset with Singhal's open support for Modi. Togadia has not stated his decision yet.

VHP & Akbaruddin Owaisi controversy:

Togadia recently had landed in a legal trouble following his alleged hate speech against MIM MLA Owaisi. Togadia's statement reportedly was a reply to Owaisi's speech where he had challenged Indian government to remove police for 15 minutes, Togadia was quoted as saying, "Remember Nellie in Assam, where the police was removed. Over 3000 people died, not one of them was a Hindu."

"Remember Bhagalpur, where the police was removed, so many people died that it was difficult to count, not one of them was a Hindu. Dead bodies flew into the sea. Remember Meerut, Moradabad, Gujarat," added Togadia at Bhokar which is 80 km from Nirmal in Adilabad district of Andhra Pradesh where Owaisi had made the infamous hate speech on Dec 24.

VHP on gaining side post Modi, Owaisi row?

The organisation was believed to had lost its old valour which it had received during the Ayodhya dispute and hullaballoo over Babri Masjid demolition. However, it seems VHP has regained its lost glory in Indian political scenario post Modi and Owaisi episode.

OneIndia News