VHP, Bajrang Dal not behind attacks on churches: Togadia

Ranchi, Oct 3 (IANS) Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Praveen Togadia Friday denied that the VHP and Bajrang Dal were behind the attacks on churches in Orissa and Karnataka.

'We do not believe in violence in any form,' he told reporters here.

He said 'Tribals are rising against churches as churches are hurting their sentiments. In Jharkhand, tribal sentiments were hurt by a translated Bible and similarly the Kandh tribal are hurt in Orissa by the churches.'

Asked about the move to ban the Bajrang Dal and VHP following the anti-Christian attacks, he said, 'The VHP and Bajrang Dal are not involved in any violent activities. None of the organisations promotes terrorism in any form. We serve people of the country.'

He also alleged that Railway Minister Lalu Prasad and Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav 'support anti-nationals' who were 'involved in spreading terrorism in the country', and demanded a ban on madrassas or Islamic seminaries in the country.

'Lalu and Mulayam support SIMI (the banned Students Islamic Movement of India) activities in the country and have protested the ban on it. Both leaders are directly or indirectly supporting anti-nationals who are involved in spreading terrorism in the country,' Tagodia, the VHP international general secretary, told reporters.

He said, 'Islamic jihad is taught in the madrassas and they should be banned'.

'In the last 15 years almost all political parties have ruled the country and none of them have addressed the root cause of terrorism. Islamic jihad taught in madrassas spread terrorism in the country. Madrassas and other places where Islamic terrorism is spread should be uprooted to end terrorism,' he said. He cited the example of the US and Britain, where madrassa education has been banned.