EC in process of acquiring Togadia's speech tape

Togadia had reportedly asked his supporters to get vacated the house purchased by a Muslim man in a Hindu locality

Press Trust of India Rajkot
Last Updated : Apr 21 2014 | 6:17 PM IST
The Election Commission has sought the recording of speech made by VHP leader Pravin Togadia in Bhavnagar in which he allegedly said that people from minority community should be stopped from buying properties in Hindu-dominated localities.

"They (EC officials) are in the process of acquiring the recording of the statements made by Togadia and after listening to it they will decide the future course of action," Bhavnagar District Collector and Returning Officer P K Solanki told PTI here today.

Togadia had reportedly asked his supporters on Saturday to get vacated the house purchased by a Muslim man in a Hindu locality near Meghani Circle area in Bhavnagar, around 180 kms from here.

Togadia had allegedly told the gathering, mainly comprising local residents and Bajrang Dal workers, that they should give an ultimatum of 48 hours to the occupant to vacate the house, or else they should storm into it, take possession and put up a Bajrang Dal board there.

He reportedly also asked them to demand the implementation of Distrubed Areas Act in Bhavnagar, which prevents inter-community sale of immovable property. The Act is in force in Ahmedabad and Vadodara, he said.

The VHP leader said there had been a pattern in many towns and cities in the country that first house in a locality is purchased by Muslims at a very high price, and later they keep coming to settle in surrounding house at lower price.

He also said that election is the best time to pressurise political parties to ensure safety of Hindus and people should not be afraid of pressuring either BJP or Congress.

The Muslim family, which has purchased the house, has not shifted to that locality.

However, RSS denied that Togadia has made any such statement.

RSS spokesperson Ram Madhav tweeted, "Pravinbhai had not said anything that was attributed to him. It was a fabricated news. No Swayamsevak thinks on those lines.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Apr 21 2014 | 5:47 PM IST

Next Story