‘Hindu Samaj won’t budge from its stand’

Lucknow: Hindu samaj will not budge from its stand of ‘liberating' Krishna Janmabhoomi in Mathura and Kashi Vishwanath in Varanasi, as per the resolution adopted by the first Dharam Sansad held in 1984, said Vishwa Hindu Parishad secretary general (organisation) Milind Parande on Wednesday.Parande said the seers and the VHP have pledged to ‘take back' Ram Janmabhoomi, Krishna Janmabhoomi and Kashi Vishwanath in accordance with Hindu sentiments. "It started with the Ram Janmabhoomi andolan and the temple was constructed. Likewise, sankalp to take over Krishna Janmabhoomi and Kashi Vishwanath will also be fulfilled by the Hindu samaj," he told TOI. He said the Hindu community will decide if it wants to mobilise a mass movement for the two sites like Ram Janmabhoomi.
VHP's reiteration of its pledge is being seen as the continuation of BJP's bid to ratchet up Hindu sentiments ahead of key poll cycles, especially the 2027 UP elections. It also came a day after CM Yogi Adityanath advised Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav to come forward for the cause of Krishna Janmabhoomi. Yogi also said that he would visit the Kedareshwar Temple, which is being constructed by Akhilesh in Etawah, if the SP chief had a "clear intention".Analysts said the construction of a temple by Akhilesh seems to have nudged the saffron camp, which traditionally relies on the consolidation of Hindu votes cutting across caste lines.The legal status of the Krishna Janmabhoomi (Mathura) and Kashi Vishwanath-Gyanvapi (Varanasi) disputes centres on the maintainability of civil suits and the determination of the "religious character" of these sites under the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act. The Mathura dispute pertains to the land where the Shahi Idgah mosque stands adjacent to the Krishna Janmabhoomi temple. The Allahabad high court will this week hear 18 consolidated petitions filed by Hindu litigants. While the Gyanvapi-KVT case is still sub judice, the Allahabad high court in Feb 2024 gave permission for puja to be performed in the southern cellar (Vyas Tehkhana) of the Gyanvapi mosque in the Kashi Vishwanath Complex.VHP president Alok Kumar had earlier said there was no need for a public movement until the matter was sub judice and claimed that the Hindu side was on a stronger footing against the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid in the ongoing legal battle.Political experts said VHP's positioning on Kashi and Mathura reinforces its ideological consistency after the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. Analysts said that by keeping Hindu Samaj at the forefront, VHP plans to put responsibility on community sentiment rather than formal organisational strategy.