Pravin Togadia Ends Fast, Calls BJP’s Ram Mandir Promise a ‘Jumla’

The former VHP leader said he would now embark on a nationwide tour to revive “Hindutva politics”.

Pravin Togadia.

(Photo Courtesy: Facebook)

Former Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Pravin Togadia, in an interview with The Quint, said the promise of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to build the Ram Mandir is nothing but a “jumla”. He, however, clarified that his relations with the ruling party were in no way sour.

Togadia ended his "indefinite fast" on Thursday – three days after he began the strike in Ahmedabad to press his demands, that include the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya. He said he would now embark on a nationwide tour to revive "Hindutva politics".

Togadia, 62, said he was ending his fast on the advice of doctors.

Led by Akhileshwar Das Maharaj, the religious leaders had urged him to end his fast.

Togadia quit the VHP last week after his nominee lost a key organisational election. He went on a fast on Tuesday to make his demands heard – construction of a Ram temple, deportation of illegal Bangladeshis, resettlement of Hindus in Kashmir, and abolition of Article 370 of the Constitution.

‘I Will Raise My Voice For 100 Crore Hindus’

Togadia said on Thursday that he would undertake a nationwide tour to take up the issues of "100 crore Hindus" and seek to revive "Hindutva politics" as the BJP government has failed to solve the problems facing the country.

People are now asking whom they should vote for, as those who gained power in 2014 proved to be as bad as those who were ousted. So I will try to establish Hindutva politics in 2019 to realise people’s aspirations.

Pravin Togadia told PTI

"I will continue raising the voice of 100 crore Hindus by embarking on a pan-India tour from tomorrow. I will also take up the issues of farmers, labourers and the youth. I am sure that the Hindus, along with workers of the RSS, BJP and VHP, are still with me in my endeavour," he said.

Togadia quit the VHP after his nominee Raghav Reddy was defeated by former Himachal Pradesh governor V S Kokje in an election for the post of the party’s international president.

(With inputs from PTI.)