The government could have yet another crisis on its hands as, unmoved by a number of "peace meetings" with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Ashok Singhal, working president, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), launched another broadside against the party.
He said the BJP had "betrayed" the Hindus on the issue of Ram temple construction after they had assumed power.
"We have been betrayed. We never expected this from the BJP. But history teaches us that those who have betrayed the Hindus have paid the price for it," he said, addressing a meet-the-press programme here today.
Defending the distribution of tridents in Rajasthan, he said it was purely religious work. "We are not against anyone. If Laloo Prasad Yadav, leader, Rashtriya Janata Dal, can distribute lathis and talwars, why cannot the VHP distribute tridents symbolically?" he asked.
Stating that "jehadis" were now ruling the roost in the country, he said secularists, who were trying to eradicate India's civilisation, posed the biggest threat to the nation.
"Secularism has come to mean anti-Hinduism. They are, in fact, destroying Hinduism," he said.
He said the Ram Janmabhoomi issue was entangled in court cases for the past 15 years. However, temple construction at Ayodhya would go on as planned by the VHP, he added. A "dharma sansad" of the VHP will be held on April 29 and April 30 to decide its future course of action.
Although the previous dharma sansad held in New Delhi had fizzled out after the government's plea in the Supreme Court for an early hearing of the Babri Masjid/Ram temple case, it was clear that the VHP was becoming restive on the temple issue.
At its meeting in Ayodhya last year, the Mahant of the Ram Janmabhumi Nyas had threatened to immolate himself if the VHP did not start construction work in Ayodhya.
However, he had to take back his warning after public response to his call was lukewarm. Singhal said conversion activity was "rampant" in Kerala. "You can profess or propagate a religion but have no right to convert. It is anti-Constitutional," he said.
