Pravin Togadia is at loggerheads with the BJP government at the Centre, and to make his resentment loud and clear, he has been sitting on an indefinite hunger strike in Ahmedabad since Tuesday, 17 April. One of his demands is that the BJP stand true to its promise to build the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, among others.
My fight is not with the BJP. Many of its party members and workers are close to me. My fight is with the BJP government which did not stand true to its promises declared in its election manifesto.Pravin Togadia
Togadia’s Hunger Strike
Togadia had recently resigned from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) as International Working President after his nominee, Raghav Reddy, lost the VHP elections to former Himachal Pradesh governor VS Kokje.
However, state VHP chief Kaushik Mehta and former secretary of its Ahmedabad unit Raju Patel were both present at the venue where Togadia is holding his indefinite fast.
Various RSS leaders and senior BJP leaders such as Surendra Patel and other BJP party workers, along with priests and sadhus from different matts, were present at the fast. At least 500 supporters were gathered at the event and more kept coming through the day.
It is interesting to note that although the BJP and the VHP have distanced themselves from Pravin Togadia, the latter’s clout is still strong among saffron party workers, which could mean for the incumbents.
Togadia’s Simmering Resentment
Togadia was a close aide of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the latter’s first stint as chief minister of Gujarat back in early 2001. However, after the 2002 riots in Gujarat and the following assembly elections, Modi quietly sidelined Togadia from the centre of power, causing a rift between the two. Once CM Modi started the Sadbhavana initiative to reach out to Muslims, Togadia’s influence in the state dropped.
My relations with BJP have not gone sour. BJP workers across the country are following my ideologies, my demands. It’s just that the present government is not aligned to it, which is quite tragic. BJP had made promises in its election manifesto, but nothing has been done about it. They said Rs 15 Lakh will be deposited to the account of every Indian and then turned around and called it a shagufa (jumla). Was the promise to build the Ram Mandir a shagufa (Jumla) as well? This is injustice to Lord Ram.Pravin Togadia
This is the first time the firebrand Hindu leader has called out the Prime Minister over his election promises and thereby aligned himself with Modi’s political opponents and staunchest critics who have been calling out the government’s ‘jumlas’
When asked about his demands in Jammu and Kashmir, Togadia said:
Article 35A was implemented based on the President’s orders, even the Parliament was not involved in it. If the government, through the cabinet’s decision, can invoke the President’s order to revoke article 35A, half of Kashmir’s issues will be taken care of.
‘Hindu Ahead’ Action Plan
My support in 2019 will be for the Hindus and the both the parties have to work for the Hindus. My demands are clear and if the political class doesn’t want to align itself with the ideology, then the Hindu society needs to take a call on its own future.Pravin Togadia
Togadia has now started a movement called Hindu First and elaborated upon it thus, “I have started a movement called Hindu First. Under the movement I have started a helpline for the 100 crore Hindus who live in the country. They can call on the 24-hour helpline at anytime for any need.”
Under the programme, he has also decided to provide private medical care to the poor and downtrodden.
I have arranged for specialist private doctors for medical consultation services for the poor and the downtrodden who can call on the helpline number. I have already connected 10,000 doctors across the country with this initiative and we will raise the number to 50,000 doctors who can address medical needs of around 1 crore poor and downtrodden people’s medical needs.Pravin Togadia
For Farmers and the Hungry
Togadia also spoke about the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission.
My plan is to see a debt-free farmer. This will be done through the implementation of Swaminathan Commission so that the farmer gets double value of his harvest. This was mentioned in the BJP election manifesto, but nothing has happened so far. If it’s not implemented then Dr Pravin Togadia will protest for the farmers.Pravin Togadia
He finally elaborated on the programme ‘Ek Muthi Anaj’ under which he plans to collect a fistful of grains from every household and distribute it for free to the poor in 10 kg packets.
After the Telegu Desam Party walked out of the NDA and the Shiv Sena’s open criticism of the Modi government at the centre, the BJP expected no rebuttals coming from the Sangh. Unfortunately, Togadia has now become the saffron voice speaking against the Prime Minister, which could impact the 2019 elections.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)