VHP wages war on untouchability to unite Hindus

The outfit has coined a new slogan: Ek Kuan, Mandir aur Shamshan, Hinduon ki Yahi Pehchan (For all Hindus the well, the temple and the cremation ground should be the same).

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VHP supporters
The organisation will also launch a Hindu Mitra Parivar campaign.

Praveen Togadia has a clear agenda: Hindu unity that cuts across the caste divides. And so the Vishva Hindu Parishad, which Togadia heads, has decided to wage a war on untouchability across Uttar Pradesh.

The outfit has coined a new slogan: Ek Kuan, Mandir aur Shamshan, Hinduon ki Yahi Pehchan (For all Hindus the well, the temple and the cremation ground should be the same). In other words, VHP has voted out the discriminatory practice of separate wells, temples and cremation grounds on the basis of caste of a Hindu.

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It's not surprising though. The VHP is following the line of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or RSS which doesn't subscribe to caste divisions among the Hindus. Clearly eyeing the Hindu unity, the RSS recently tried to appropriate Dalit icon and chief architect of the Indian Constitution Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. The move was aimed at bringing the dalits into the Sangh's fold. The RSS also started several shakhas or assemblies for the Dalits. Similarly, the Bharatiya Janata Party recently organised special membership camps in dalit localities of Uttar Pradesh.

VHP's Ayodhya chapter spokesperson Sharad Sharma said, "We have also decided to launch the Hindu Parivar Mitra campaign. Conceived by VHP working president Praveen Togadia, the idea of this campaign is to unite the Hindus. Irrespective of their caste, all Hindus should share meal with each other. They should be part of each other's happiness and sorrow."

He said this programme would be organised across the country. "The target is to form one lakh Hindu Parivar Mitras in the country within a year," Sharma said.

Ved Prakash Sachan, state convener of the Samajik Samrasta Manch, the RSS front for social harmony, told newspersons that fighting against untouchability was their primary target. "We will organise several programmes to bring all Hindu castes together. We will also organise religious programmes and distribute literatures to strengthen our campaign," he said.