REPORT-1
‘Hindu Roti and Shiksha Bachao Agitation’
Demands withdrawal of 4.5 per cent Muslim quota that deprives the OBC entitlement
By Pramod Kumar
Describing the Government’s hurried move to grant 4.5 per cent quota to Muslims from the OBC’s 27 per cent reservation a blatant violation of the Constitution and an attempt to destroy the majority’s democratic rights, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has launched a nationwide agitation. Named as ‘Hindu Roti and Shiksha Bachao Andolan’ the agitation began from December 23. Under this agitation many activities including awareness drive through dharnas, demonstrations, rallies, symposiums, internet sites, etc.are being conducted to educate the people. The youth and women wings will also conduct some separate programmes at their own levels.
International working president of VHP Dr Pravin Togadia appealed to all Hindus to stand united as one irrespective of their caste, region, language, etc against such a dangerous move that can wipeout Hindus and democracy from Bharat. He said the key line for the agitation is ‘first withdraw Muslim reservation and only then ask for Hindu votes’. He said the agitation would continue until Muslim reservations are withdrawn completely and the Government apologises to the nation for its vote-greedy anti-constitutional move.
Under the campaign, Delhi unit of the VHP along with many Hindu organisations staged a strong protest at Jantar Mantar on December 27. The protest was led by prominent saints and Hindu leaders. Terming the reservation to Muslims and Christians as unconstitutional they demanded its immediate rollback. Senior VHP leader Shri BL Sharma ‘Prem’ said the Congress is leading the nation to another Partition on religious grounds. The VHP leaders also submitted a memorandum to President Smt Pratibha Patil demanding immediate recall of the reservation based on religion. Swami Pragyanand, Mahant Naval Kishore Das, Mahant Surendra Nath Avadhoot and others also addressed the protesters.
Briefing the mediapersons in New Delhi about the agitation, Dr Togadia warned that the VHP would not allow any job or school/college seat of OBC to be given to Muslims. “By giving 4.5 per cent quota to Muslims within the 27 per cent reservations meant for the OBCs, Government has snatched educational seats, jobs, bank loans and other facilities which were meant entirely for the real deserving OBCs. It will not stop here. It will lead to giving quota to Muslims and Christians from extremely backward Scheduled Castes. Reservations meant for Scheduled Tribes are already being grabbed by Christians. For vote bank, this will go up to constitutional amendment to give separate reservations to Muslims because India’s Constitution does not permit religion-based reservations, snatching open merit category, Hindus jobs and education,” said Dr Togadia.
The VHP demanded immediate withdrawal of the quota given to Muslims and Christians from any existing reservations meant for OBCs, SCs, STs and NTs. “The VHP also warns the government not to snatch educational seats, jobs, bank loans, etc either of these poor or of Hindus from open merit category. Some erstwhile castes of Muslims are already included and getting benefit from OBC list. These castes should immediately be removed from OBC list. Government should immediately reject the biased and unfounded reports of Justice Rajender Sachar Committee and Rangnath Misra Commission quoting which various post holders from the Union Government, the Prime Minister, Law Minister, etc as well as Muslim leaders claim that Muslims are poor and therefore they ‘deserve’ special facilities and reservations. VHP will not allow this or Christian reservation from SC quota,” Dr Togadia said in a statement issued in New Delhi.
The VHP warned that those who demand, support, propagate and give reservations to Muslims and Christians would have to face the democratic wrath of the majority Hindus in the upcoming elections. It also demanded a case of treason against all people who demand, support, propagate and give religion-based reservations as this very act is unconstitutional.
Elaborating on the major decisions taken at the recent Central Board of Trustees meeting in Kochi, Dr Togadia said the VHP has decided to expand the organisation to over one lakh villages and consolidate on urban level by November 2015 for well-being and empowerment of Hindus. He said the VHP would focus on Hindu empowerment all the way right from the village level to district, state level and on wider issues impacting the Hindus nationally.
He said the VHP would also expand its service network in Vanvasi areas thereby ensuring better education, health and empowerment to SCs/STs, OBCs and Nomadic Tribes (NTs). He said the VHP already has 46,347 service projects including 2,062 schools, 2,501 medical facilities, 27,010 single teacher schools and over 1,500 SHGs. The VHP now aims to double these figures by the year 2015.
Dr Togadia said the VHP has also decided to free over one lakh temples, which are presently in the clutches of various governments which misuse millions of rupees offered in the temples by the devotees. He alleged that this money is being misused by the government to hurt the Hindus by giving facilities and subsidies to minorities whereas not even the basic care of the temples and Hindus is done.
Apart from demanding a strong anti-conversion law, the VHP has also demanded a strong anti-terror law to completely wipeout Islamic terror supported either by overseas forces or by local modules. For this objective Dr Togadia announced to start ‘Nation Against Terror’ movement. He also demanded a Hindu Youth Job Security Bill for all castes, like the Food Security Bill or Right to Education Bill.
For the protection of human rights of Hindus abroad Dr Togadia said the VHP would create a strong system to handle the violation of Hindu human rights from Malaysia to Sri Lanka and from Indonesia to America, Australia, Russia, etc. He said any Hindu persecuted in any other country and back to Bharat is the responsibility of all Hindus. The VHP aims to start specific systems for this as well as demand an international law to prevent such persecution of Hindus from any country.
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