New Delhi: ‘Start building all 435 temples that were demolished by militants in Kashmir since 1990’ — this is one of the issues that the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) is going to raise with the Narendra Modi government in its meeting on 10 August.
Not only this, the outfit will also ask the government to file criminal cases against those involved in the destruction of the temples.
The meeting will be attended by seers from across the country during which the outfit will also pass a motion of thanks to the government for “scrapping Article 370”.
It will also take up construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya and a new law to stop religious conversions in the country with the Modi government.
“We congratulate the government for abrogating Article 370. Now that the Valley will have the same laws and Constitution as in other parts of India, the government should start re-construction of all temples that were destroyed. We are ready to do kar sewa for the constructions. But directions have to first come from the government,” said Swami Jitendranand Saraswati, national general secretary of Akhil Bharatiya Sant Samiti.
He also alleged that while a criminal case was filed when a mosque was razed years ago, not a single FIR has been registered for demolition of 435 temples in the Valley.
“We don’t believe in taking revenge but authorities should at least start the re-construction work now. We will do all that is required,” Saraswati further said.
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‘Action-plan’ for Ram temple
Even as the Supreme Court has decided to hold daily hearings in the 14 cases related to the Ayodhya land dispute, another issue that the VHP has been planning to raise is “how exactly will the temple be constructed” there.
“We are confident that a decision will be taken by November. So now we need to have an action-plan for the temple’s construction,” added Saraswati.
The President had earlier notified about the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill which seeks to bifurcate the state into two Union Territories — Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
On the VHP’s agenda is also the issue of women’s entry into the Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala.
“The government has been unnecessarily interfering in activities of temples. There are a number of temples, especially in the South, that are run by by Muslims. These administrators divert funds received as donations for the management of churches and mosques. This needs to stop,” he added.
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