Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Praveen Togadia on Saturday said his organisation would launch a movement for Hindus of all communities to remove untouchability and promote interdining with Dalits.
“Up to the point where Togadia is allowed inside a temple, a Dalit will also be allowed entry,” he told The Hindu , when he was asked if he would launch a temple entry movement where Dalits were denied entry.
“The VHP will launch a movement in six lakh villages to interdine with Dalits, to drink out of the same well, and to have common graveyard,” the VHP’s international working president said.
Mr. Togadia was denied entry into Bengaluru for the VHP’s national conference scheduled for Sunday.
Arriving in Hosur, he launched the VHP’s ‘Happy Healthy Hindu Scheme’ — a six-point action plan to ring in “prosperity for the Hindus by providing food, health care, education, job, trade and security.”
The action plan was to ensure that every Hindu would act to remove untouchability and dine with Dalits.
Criticising Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Mr. Togadia said he was due to launch the scheme in Bengaluru, but he had to do it from Hosur. “Mr. Siddaramaiah does not want health and prosperity for the Hindus of Karnataka,” he said.
Steering clear of any controversy, he said the only VHP activity for Valentine’s Day was “to bring prosperity for Hindus.”
Earlier, in his speech, Mr. Togadia touched upon issues such as ‘love jihad’, conversions, cow slaughter and Haj subsidy.
