Congress, Hardik Back VHP Chief Togadia’s Charges Against BJP

The VHP chief claimed that he was being targeted, and feared there was a conspiracy to kill him in a fake encounter.

Patidar quota agitation leader Hardik Patel voiced his support for VHP leader Pravin Togadia in a tweet, a day after he visited him in the hospital on 16 January.

कोंग्रेस के राज में प्रवीण तोगड़िया जी सलामत थे लेकिन आज भाजपा के राज में प्रवीण तोगड़िया जी असुरक्षित महसूस कर रहे हैं।

— Hardik Patel (@HardikPatel_) January 17, 2018

Togadia, the VHP’s international working president, claimed on 16 January that he went into hiding as he feared that police might kill him in an encounter after arresting him in an old case.

Hardik Patel, who had joined hands with the Congress in the recent Gujarat Assembly elections, pointed fingers at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah, in his statement to PTI.

The rights of common people are being snatched away. I may not agree with Pravinbhai’s ideology, but I am always with him. We all know what kind of conspiracies are being hatched by Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. I don’t know about Hindus, but a leader of a Hindu organisation is definitely in danger now.

Hardik Patel

Congress & Hardik Echo Cries Against BJP

The opposition Congress in Gujarat also, on 16 January, sought an inquiry into Togadia's claim that he had found out about a plot to kill him in a police encounter. The opposition Congress leadership termed the incident a "serious issue."

Congress leader Arjun Modhwadia met Togadia on 16 January, at a city hospital where the Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader was admitted in an unconscious state on 15 January.

After meeting Togadia, Modhwadia demanded an independent inquiry into Togadia's allegation.

We all know the track record of the Rajasthan police (about encounters). We also know what happens to those who raise voices against the BJP, be it (BJP leaders) Sanjay Joshi, Haren Pandya or (CBI) judge BH Loya. To stop the recurrence of such incidents, an independent inquiry must be conducted in Togadia’s case.

Arjun Modhwadia, Leader, Congress

Gujarat Congress chief Bharatsinh Solanki and the party's state in-charge Ashok Gehlot also demanded an inquiry into Togadia's claim that he could be killed in an encounter.

Gehlot was the chief minister of Rajasthan when Togadia was booked under section 188 of IPC for defying police orders in Gangapur town of that state in 2002.

The law and order situation in Gujarat has completely deteriorated and it reflects in what Togadia claimed. We demand an inquiry into Togadia’s allegations, to bring out the truth.

Bharatsinh Solanki

Gehlot said the issue is serious as both Gujarat and Rajasthan are ruled by the BJP. “Togadia was arrested in the past too (in Rajasthan, when the Congress was in power). Togadia is known to have links with the ruling party. And if such things can happen with him, we can only imagine the situation of common people. This is a serious issue and the state government should order an inquiry,” he said.

Togadia went untraceable on 15 January after a team of Rajasthan police arrived to arrest him in a case registered against him at Gangapur in Sawai Madhopur district.

He was found unconscious, and then hospitalised. Addressing a press conference at the hospital on 16 January, Togadia alleged that attempts were being made to silence him when he was raising the voice of the Hindu community.

He claimed that he went into hiding after learning that a Rajasthan police team had come to arrest him. He claimed that he got messages from people that he might be killed in a (fake) encounter.