Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Pravin Togadia has been courting controversy since the start of the new year. Two arrest warrants were issued against him – one in Ahmedabad, which was later quashed and he was released on bail, and one from Rajasthan, which saw Togadia flying the coop, claiming that it was a conspiracy to kill him in an encounter.
The recent developments have certainly put the VHP leader against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, both at the Centre and the state. Interestingly, the Congress too is politicising the issue, and has raised questions over the security arrangements provided to Togadia.
Cops Claim Foul Play
Joint Commissioner of Police, Crime Branch, JK Bhatt told reporters on Tuesday, 16 January, that Togadia was conscious on his way to the airport. He reached a spot near the airport in a car owned by his aide Ghanshyam Charandas, who then called a ‘108' ambulance.
“Under Z-plus, one gets a pilot vehicle, a bulletproof vehicle, and an inspector-level personnel armed with AK-47 rifles. Thus, getting killed in an encounter is highly unlikely. This seems to be his figment of imagination,” he said.
According to the police, after leaving the VHP's office in Paldi around 10.30 am on Monday, Togadia reached Charandas' house in Thaltej and stayed there till evening.
“At around 8.35 pm on Monday, 15 January, Ghanshyam and Togadia reached Sardarnagar in the former’s car. Then, Ghanshyam called the 108 ambulance service and told the operator that an unidentified person is ill. When the ambulance arrived, Ghanshyam told the staff to take that person straight to Chandrmani Hospital in Shahibaug. The doctors at the hospital were probably informed earlier as the call records suggest that the doctor was contacted around 6 pm,” said Bhatt.
“If Togadia wanted to go somewhere, he should have taken the security personnel along. This whole issue could have been avoided if he had taken the security personnel along,” the Joint Commissioner added.
Togadia Accuses Crime Branch
On Wednesday, 17 December, Togadia was discharged from the hospital, after which he immediately held a press conference and attacked Joint Commissioner Bhatt. He said:
JK Bhatt’s call records should be made public, because he was in direct contact with the Prime Minister and he was getting instructions from Modi. I will speak with my lawyer and take legal action against the crime branch. Bhatt took orders from Delhi and has started harassing my patriotic VHP workers. They are turning crime branch into a conspiracy branch.
“Around 20 policemen tortured Charandas just because I went to his house; they woke him up at 2 am like a lowly criminal. They harassed and tortured him to give a statement against me... That apart, they even released selective closed circuit television (CCTV) footage from Charandas’ home. I remember back in 2005, BJP president Sanjay Joshi’s video was released similarly, which maligned him and the RSS. I know that video is fake because I too was involved in the investigation. I know who is involved in it, but I will not name them, not yet,” he added.
Rift Between Modi and Togadia Widens
According to sources, Togadia is planning to release a book on the Ramjanmabhoomi movement and the BJP government’s involvement in it. The book apparently lambasts the BJP’s attempts to build the temple at Ayodyha, which has been the party’s USP during elections.
The timing of the book seems to bother the BJP, as it would be published before the 2019 polls and could severely dent its chances to retake power. The BJP is banking on Yogi Adityanath to sell the Ram Temple agenda, especially in Karnataka, where Assembly elections are due.
Interestingly, the Congress has taken this opportunity to win brownie points. The Gujarat Congress leaders have gone ahead and demanded an inquiry into the matter. Senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot, who was running the Rajasthan government when the case was filed against Togadia back in 2002, said:
If someone like Togadia who is well-connected with the BJP government can face such troubles, imagine what the common man goes through. An inquiry must be initiated in the matter.
The BJP-VHP rift has created a perfect opportunity for the Congress to dent Hindutva politics, especially in Karnataka, where the saffron brigade is fighting hard to reclaim the state.
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