VHP Meeting at Mahakumbh to Focus on Religious Conversion and ‘Ghar Wapsi’
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The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) is set to deliberate on religious conversion and re-conversion (‘Ghar Wapsi’) at its central-level meeting, scheduled to be held from February 7 to 9 at the ongoing Mahakumbh Mela in Prayagraj.
VHP President Alok Kumar, speaking to media, revealed that the organization has already deployed 1,000 full-time ‘Dharam Rakshaks’ tasked with preventing religious conversions and bringing back those who have converted to other faiths.
Agenda of the Meeting
Apart from addressing religious conversion, the meeting will focus on several key issues, including:
- Increasing the Hindu population through awareness campaigns.
- Freeing temples from government control.
- Advocating for a uniform law governing religious charities.
“Three years ago, the Parishad identified 1,000 problem blocks severely affected by religious conversion. To address this, we engaged 1,000 full-time *Dharam Rakshaks*, providing them with sustenance for their families. Their sole focus is on preventing conversions and facilitating re-conversions to Hinduism. They are not involved in any other VHP activities,” Kumar stated.
Strategic Planning for the Next Six Months
On February 7, the VHP’s board of trustees and managing committee will convene for a high-level meeting to discuss the core agenda. VHP national spokesperson Vinod Bansal confirmed that an action plan for the next six months will be formulated, extending the Parishad’s initiatives from the national level down to prant (provincial) and district levels.
A significant proposal under discussion is a door-to-door awareness campaign advocating for Hindu families to have a minimum of two to three children, in line with appeals made by sadhus at the Margdarshak Mandal meeting of the Parishad. Additionally, the VHP is expected to push for the government to relinquish control over temple trusts.
With religious and demographic issues at the forefront, the upcoming meeting at Mahakumbh is to shape the VHP’s long-term strategy on these matters.
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