Who needs the BJP? 'Saints' take over defence of 'Ghar Wapsi', Hindutva

With lakhs of devotees as a near-captive audience at the ongoing Magh mela in Allahabad, the topmost Hindu seers seem to have now taken it upon themselves to raise issues that Bharatiya Janata Party MPs and ministers have apparently been asked to keep quiet about. Lakhs of devotees have gathered at Sangam for the auspicious Mauni Amavasya bathing, and the discourse by seers camping there will continue for the coming days. Around the same time, the firebrand Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Pravin Togadia has also reiterated that the so-called ghar wapasi campaign will continue as it is not prohibited by law. [caption id=“attachment_2057829” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  PTI[/caption] Notably, with the recent BJP rebuke to Unnao MP Sakshi Maharaj over his comment that Hindus must produce four children and the reported advice to Union minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti after her controversial remarks, it is the saints and other non-party members who have taken it upon themselves to strengthen the Hindutva campaign. The huge Sanatan Dharm Sansad at Sangam ki Reti during the ongoing Magh Mela in Allahabad was addressed by top religious heads, including the Shankaracharya of Dwarka Peeth, Swami Swarupanand Saraswati, Shankaracharya of Puri, Swami Nishchalanand Saraswati, Acharya Ramkrishnanand of Agni Akhada, Mahant Narendra Giri of Niranjani Akhada and Swami Avimukteshwaranand. At the end of the two-day meet, nine resolutions were passed among which the most significant was one calling for the Ganga to be made free of all dams and barrages and opposing the river-linking project. River-linking is an ambitious project of the Modi government and had been initiated during the previous NDA government headed by Atal Bihari Vapayee. There is renewed focus on the scheme but with the saints’ staunch opposition, its future may be in jeopardy. Other resolutions related to seeking a total ban on cow slaughter, banning films that make fun of the Hindu religion in which the recent film ‘PK’ was named, more encouragement for the use of Sanskrit, putting an end to efforts to eulogise Shirdi Sai Baba and naming all national schemes in Hindi. It was also decided that the Sanatan Dharm Sansad be made a permanent body. So far, it is held only during the Kumbh mela, Ardh Kumbh Mela or Magh Mela. And it was during such a meet, during the Mahakumbh in Allahabad in 2013, that the seers had given out a call to make Narendra Modi the next prime minister of India. The saints also discussed the issue of conversions at length and Shankaracharya Swami Swarupanand Saraswati said that other religions were instituted by living humans whereas Hinduism is eternal with there being no one who founded it. “It is not possible to convert a Hindu to another religion because anyone who is born a Hindu will remain one all his life. There is no ceremonial induction of children into Hinduism as is the case in other religions.” Swami Vasudevanand Saraswati, Shankaracharya of Jyotishpeeth, said it was not correct to ask Hindus to have small families and they should have at least ten children to ensure the strength of the Hindu community. His views are at variance with those of Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati who had recently criticised the statements of Sakshi Maharaj and Sadhvi Prachi for suggesting that Hindu families should have at least four children, adding that the country was already facing many problems because of rising population. On Monday, Shankaracharya Swami Swarupanand Saraswati addressed a religious discourse beyond the Dharm Sabha where he categorically said that the linking of rivers was not at all acceptable to the saint community. “The very existence of the Ganga faces a threat in the name of development. The scheme to link rivers will destroy the Ganga and other rivers,” he thundered at the discourse attended by thousands of devotees at his special camp on Triveni Marg. “There appears a huge conspiracy to obviate the symbols and beliefs of Hinduism and all Hindus must unite to put a stop to this,” he said. On the other hand, VHP leader Pravin Togadia during his two-day visit to Lucknow appeared to have thrown a challenge to the government and the BJP over the issue of re-conversion, saying that the process of ghar wapasi would continue as it is not Illegal and unconstitutional. Speaking at a Hindu Sammelan in Lucknow, he said VHP was in favour of a strong anti-conversion law. He then went on to caution the Hindus to be careful of love jihad and stressed upon ending the caste divide that is prevalent among Hindus. He also referred to the issue of Hindus having fewer children, saying population growth was a problem but then population control should be made mandatory for all communities. He said that the VHP had completed its golden jubilee but would celebrate it only when a Ram Temple was constructed in Ayodhya. The Lucknow mayor Dinesh Sharma who is now the BJP national vice president, was present at the Togadia meet, even though the BJP’s official stand is contrary to whatever Togadia said. A state BJP spokesman said that Sharma was present as an invitee and the party’s stand on all such issues had been made clear several times. Interestingly, the ruling Samajwadi Party does not appear to be worried about the situation, with a party spokesman saying that the Akhilesh Yadav government would not allow anyone to vitiate the communal environment in the state.