Fearing communal disturbances that could tarnish his image and that of Gujarat, Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi is believed to have influenced the Gujarat BJP to seek special permission of exemption from the Bharat Bandh call on Thursday.
The VHP has given the Bharat Bandh call on Thursday in protest against the decision of the J&K government to revoke its order on transfer of land for the Amarnath shrine.
The VHP also demanded scrapping of subsidy on Haj
However, the Gujarat BJP has sought a special permission to not to be part of the bandh.
Confirming this, Vijay Rupani, chief spokesperson of Gujarat BJP, said that the Bharat Bandh call is on July 3.
On July 4, special Jagannath Rath Yatras are scheduled to take place at over 150 different places in Gujarat. In view of the yatra and law and order situation, we requested national BJP president Rajnath Singh to exempt us from participation.
According to Mr Rupani, state BJP chief Purshottam Rupala spoke to Mr Rajnath Singh and got the permission.
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Bharatiya Janata Party in Gujarat have been at loggerheads since quite some time and this exemption has again given rise to speculations that Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi and VHP leader Pravin Togadia are not in good terms.
The VHP, which is strong in Gujarat, is all geared up for a total bandh.
However, they are now in a dilemma since their own party has ditched them.
A VHP leader, on condition of anonymity, claimed that "anyone and everyone who is genuinely Hindu would participate in the Bandh. Who does not participate is a psuedo secular. Mr Modi is scared of communal violence and since his reputation in this arena is already so tarnished, he does not want to take any chances and hence this Rath Yatra excuse of not participating.".
Dilip Trivedi and Kaushik Mehta of Gujarat VHP issued a statement seeking support from everyone for a peaceful bandh on Thursday.
Courtesy : www.asianage.com
The VHP has given the Bharat Bandh call on Thursday in protest against the decision of the J&K government to revoke its order on transfer of land for the Amarnath shrine.
The VHP also demanded scrapping of subsidy on Haj
However, the Gujarat BJP has sought a special permission to not to be part of the bandh.
Confirming this, Vijay Rupani, chief spokesperson of Gujarat BJP, said that the Bharat Bandh call is on July 3.
On July 4, special Jagannath Rath Yatras are scheduled to take place at over 150 different places in Gujarat. In view of the yatra and law and order situation, we requested national BJP president Rajnath Singh to exempt us from participation.
According to Mr Rupani, state BJP chief Purshottam Rupala spoke to Mr Rajnath Singh and got the permission.
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Bharatiya Janata Party in Gujarat have been at loggerheads since quite some time and this exemption has again given rise to speculations that Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi and VHP leader Pravin Togadia are not in good terms.
The VHP, which is strong in Gujarat, is all geared up for a total bandh.
However, they are now in a dilemma since their own party has ditched them.
A VHP leader, on condition of anonymity, claimed that "anyone and everyone who is genuinely Hindu would participate in the Bandh. Who does not participate is a psuedo secular. Mr Modi is scared of communal violence and since his reputation in this arena is already so tarnished, he does not want to take any chances and hence this Rath Yatra excuse of not participating.".
Dilip Trivedi and Kaushik Mehta of Gujarat VHP issued a statement seeking support from everyone for a peaceful bandh on Thursday.
Courtesy : www.asianage.com