President of the Hindu Mahasabha Kashinath slams VHP

File Photo: Babri Masjid Demolition - 2002

VHP's proposed 84-Kosi Yatra, voices of criticism from saffron organizations and seers grew louder on Saturday. The yatra is finding it difficult to garner popular Hindu support.

Criticizing the move, UP president of the Hindu Mahasabha Kashinath said, "VHP and RSS start activities to polarize Hindu votes in favour of the BJP whenever elections are round the corner. However, soon thereafter they put Hindutava on the back-burner." Similarly, he said, they are using the Yatra for political gains and would throw away seers once their purpose is solved. "If VHP really cares about Hindus, it must tell people what it has done for other places of Hindu worship," he said.

Mahasabha state coordinator Rita Rai said, "We will only support VHP's Yatra if it is organised after LS elections."

In Ayodhya, Mahant Gyandas, head of the committee of seers which organizes parikrama every year, said, "Parikramas, be it 14-kosi or 84-kosi, are performed during the Chaitra month of the Hindu calendar, which this year was in April. Holding yatra in the Bhadon month is neither a tradition, nor mentioned anywhere in religious scriptures."

Similarly, chief priest of Ram Janmabhumi temple Acharya Satyendra Das said, "The parikrama has already been performed between Chaitra Purnima to Baisakh Navami (April-May) as per Hindu calendar.."

Mahamandaleshwar Swami Kailashanand Brahamchari, the seer of Dakshin Kali Temple, Haridwar, also came out in support of the SP. Kailashanand said that "the government should respect views of Hindu seers but also see that communal harmony is not disturbed".

Earlier, Shankaracharya of Govardhan Peeth in Mathura, Swami Adokhshajanand Teerth Saraswati, had written to chief minister Akhilesh Yadav asking him not to allow Sangh Parivar to turn a religious yatra into a political one. Accusing the VHP of using the Ram temple issue to divide the nation on religious grounds, he had also demanded VHP to furnish the detailed account of the funds it received through donation for construction of the Ram temple.

Following feedback that the Yatra has not been able to evoke desired response for the VHP , chief minister Akhilesh Yadav is believed to have directed SP leaders to tell people that the SP is not anti-Hindu. For this, they should publicize the work done by the government for the Hindus, such successfully condicting the Mahakumbh which was acknowledged all over the world.

The CM has also reportedly directed the officials not to take any step which may provide the opposition an opportunity to polarize votes. He feels that if the state administration is able to contain the VHP move without any untoward incident, it will help in refurbishing UP's image which is suffering because of poor law and order situation and communal riots after SP came to power.

It will also help the SP strengthen its Muslim vote bank without incurring dislike of Hindus, he reportedly maintained. This will help the party in 2014 Lok Sabha polls as it did in 2012 assembly elections.