VHP refuses to comment on BJP's Goa conclave

Even as BJP veteran L K Advani skipped the party's National Executive meet in Goa triggering speculations that he opposed projection of Narendra Modi as head of the party's campaign committee for next Lok Sabha elections, the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) today refrained from commenting on the saffron party's ongoing conclave.

"Officially, the VHP does not have any stand/ opinion and comment regarding BJP's ongoing National Executive in Goa," VHP's international general secretary Dr Pravin Togadia told a press conference here.

"We strongly believe that individual does not matter to the VHP. For us party, nation and ideology is always bigger than any individual," Togadia said when pressed on the issue of Modi.

The VHP will only back those who committed themselves to pass a legislation in Parliament on the issue of construction of Ram Temple at Ayodhya, those who pass a law to abrogate Article 370 and frame a law to make a Common Civil Code in the country, Togadia said.

"Anybody who makes a public announcement on these issues will get the support of the VHP," he said.

He also said that the VHP will not express any opinion publicly on the issue of BJP.

He also criticised the Akhilesh Yadav-led Uttar Pradesh government for recently ordering withdrawal cases against persons accused of indulging in terror activities.

Togadia said that after filing of an FIR, only court is empowered to quash it and government has no power to do so in any matter.

The VHP leader also informed that his organisation is conducting courses for providing self-defence training to girls and women in view of the growing incidents of crime against them and added that it will also be held in Bhopal from tomorrow.