The Vishwa Hindu Parishad on Sunday waded into the controversy relating to religious conversions, saying there was nothing wrong in its ‘ghar vapsi’ programme and called for a law to check “forced” conversions.
The VHP said Parliament should pass a law on forced religious conversions and maintained that while conversions were wrong, there was nothing wrong in ‘ghar vapsi’ or reconversion back to Hinduism.
Addressing a congregation here to mark VHP’s golden jubilee, VHP international working president Pravin Togadia said Congress president Sonia Gandhi and SP chief Mulayam Singh should ensure passage of a bill in Parliament to prevent religious conversions. “Let there be no conversions, but say yes to ghar vapsi,” he said.
Claiming that Hindus were not safe in India, he said if we are not careful, then States like Assam, West Bengal and Kerala would be “devoid” of any Hindu population.
Mr. Togadia also slammed U.S. President Barack Obama for his recent “religious intolerance” remarks, saying “we do not require sermons” as they have failed to prevent an attack on a temple there.
The VHP leader’s remarks came days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in the Lok Sabha that “nobody has the right to discriminate on the basis of religion”
BJP leader Subramanian Swamy said Muslims and Christians in the country should admit that their ancestors were Hindus.
