VHP international working president Alok Kumar addressing media in New Delhi on Monday (25.06.2018)

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has suggested that people from Kerala eat fish instead of meat since there is a “lot of fishing” in the coastal state. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the two-day Governing Council meeting in Delhi on Monday, VHP working international president Alok Kumar said that the outfit had passed a resolution demanding a separate ministry be set up by the Central and state governments to protect and preserve cows.

“Kerala is a coastal state, there is a lot of fishing,” he replied to a question as he called on ‘people’ to show respect towards “others’ sentiments”.

He said that the VHP wants both the Centre and states to form a separate ministry for cow protection. “We urge the state and central governments to form separate Ministry for Bharatiya Cow Progeny Protection, Preservation and Promotion.”

Cows are considered sacred by Hindus worldwide. There are different laws for cow and cattle slaughter in different states in India. While some states have completely banned it, some haven’t. Kerala is a major consumer of beef in the country and is among the few states that have no law in place on the slaughter of cows and its progeny.

On the Ram Mandir issue, Alok Kumar said that the VHP wants a grand temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya ‘lawfully’ and demanded that the Supreme Court start day-to-day hearing in the case for an early resolution. “The matter will come up for hearing before the Supreme Court on July 6 again, we want the Supreme Court to start daily hearing in the case.”

“If the Supreme Court starts hearing on daily basis, we expect that the decision will come by the end of this year and construction of the Ram Mandir will start,” he said. “Our lawyers are saying that the case is in favour of us.”

He added that the issue is about the title of the land and made it clear that the VHP is opposed to any idea of a mosque in the surrounding area of the temple. He said that Muslims can build a mosque outside the temple area and “we will have no problem”.

When asked about its course of action if the decision does not come by the end of the year, he said, “The VHP will consult saints to decide the next course of action.”

On Pravin Togadia’s decision to launch a new outfit — Antar-Rashtriya Hindu Parishad (AHP), parallel to the VHP, he said that it will not have any impact on the functioning of the VHP. He said that any organisation formed on the “basis of ego, ambition or copying anyone does not last long”.

“The VHP operates on collective leadership. So there will not be any big loss to us because of it (AHP),” he said. Kumar also said that the doors of the VHP are always open for Togadia. “He can come back to the VHP as the doors are open for him.”

Kumar further said that Rohingya Muslims are a threat to the country’s internal and external security and called upon the government to make a strict law and seal the Indo-Bangladesh border. The VHP leader also made an appeal to the people of the country to “boycott the infiltrators economically-socially and hand them over to the police-administration”.

On AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi’s remark asking ‘Muslims to vote for candidates of their religion only’, he said: “It is highly condemnable. He is trying to create a ‘counter vote bank’, something which is no more effective today, this was effective when there were divisions among Hindus. But today, Hindus are united, they know the reality.”