VHP plans rerun of Ram temple agitation

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) will convene a meeting of its all-India working committee in Kolkata to discuss issues such as a ban on cow slaughter, construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya, and the Congress coming to power.

The meeting of the party assumes significance as its economic wing, the Swadeshi Jagaran Manch, openly praised the UPA's common minimum programme for being pro-poor and swadeshi in nature.

The VHP is also planning to start a signature campaign to push its hardline Hindutva agenda. "Till now, the BJP government had tied our hands, now we are free to protest," said a VHP official.