Untouchability is against Hindu values: VHP

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) said today that untouchability was against Hindu values and had never been permitted in any religion.
The VHP said that leaders and saints from all castes and creeds had come together in Udupi in Karnataka in November and "slammed casteism by clarifying that untouchability is not a product of Hinduism and there should not be any prejudice because all should be treated equally well in a Hindu society".
"Untouchability is against Hindu ideology and has never been granted in any religion," according to a resolution passed at a meeting of the VHP's Board of Trustee and Managing Committee here.

The meeting was attended by representatives from 35 countries and inaugurated by VHP international working president Pravin Togadia.
It said that the social harmony wing of the VHP had been continuously trying for the last 52 years to make available "one well, one graveyard and one temple for all in every village in India".
To make India free of untouchability, the VHP resolved to identify 500 upper caste families in each districts of the country to make friendship with unprivileged, socially- backward, poverty-stricken families.
"Any Hindu family belonging to so called upper caste will make any unprivileged socially backward poverty stricken family as their friend. Likewise, VHP will bring 500 upper caste families in every districts to establish socially harmony," the resolution said.

The organisation will celebrate birth anniversaries of B R Ambedkar, Maharshi Balmiki, Sant Kabir, Narayana Guru, Ravidas and others across the country.