The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) is set to revive its focus on love jihad, land jihad, and religious conversion during its central management committee meeting scheduled for June 27 and 28 in Ayodhya. Sources indicate that the organization will also intensify its demand to liberate temples from government control.
Meeting in Ayodhya
This marks the second time in 34 years that the VHP's apex committee convenes in Ayodhya, the first being around the historic Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Ram Lalla in 2024. The meeting will host over 400 organizational functionaries, including national leaders and representatives from 44 prants.
Strategic Significance
Holding the meeting in Ayodhya underscores the city's role as the ideological capital of the Hindu nationalist movement. With the Ram Temple transforming Ayodhya from a movement site to a symbol of achievement, the VHP aims to use the city as a platform to shape its future agenda.
Key Issues
VHP national spokesperson Vinod Bansal stated that the organization will address various concerns of the Hindu community, including the menace of religious conversion and love jihad. Experts note that issues like love jihad and land jihad periodically resurface in political discourse and resonate with the broader Hindutva ecosystem's narrative of protecting Hindu identity.
Temple Liberation Demand
The demand for freeing temples from government control has been advanced by right-wing groups, who argue that temples face state oversight in several states while institutions of other faiths enjoy greater autonomy.
Review and Programs
Bansal added that the VHP will review its ongoing activities and outline measures to strengthen its presence across states. The organization will also deliberate on celebrating the birth centenary of Ashok Singhal, the former international working president of the VHP and a key leader of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, scheduled for September 27.
Bridging Caste Divide
The VHP will also plan events to mark the 650th birth anniversary of Sant Ravi Das, a revered mystic poet-saint and social reformer from the Bhakti movement. By focusing on Sant Ravidas, an icon from a marginalized community who opposed caste discrimination, the VHP aims to bridge the caste divide and reach out to the Dalit community.
