Ram Sethu a matter of faith: Togadia

After The Indian Express exposed Puneesh Taneja – the "space scientist" who, for two years, helped the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) formulate its opposition to the Sethusamudram project – as a fraud, firebrand Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Praveen Togadia on Friday in Pune admitted that Ram Sethu is a matter of faith and an emotive issue.

"Yes it is a matter of faith and cannot be challenged, or criticised but should be respected," Togadia said. Under Rameshawaram Ram Sethu Raksha Manch, the VHP, RSS and other organisations have launched a nationwide campaign to stop the Sethusamudram project.

But Togadia made it clear that this time the ’emotive issue’ would not be allowed to be hijacked by any political party or leader. "We have approached all political parties and asked them to join the movement as members under the manch. They can also take it up on their own platform, but no political leader will be allowed to take the leadership mantle in the Ram Sethu movement," he said.

Referring to the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid issue, he said that though a Congress member had initially raised the movement, it was under the VHP that it was transformed into a mass movement. However, later when Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders joined the movement it was made into a political issue ie BJP versus Congress and some other parties. "This time we are determined that no political party will be allowed to hijack the issue," Togadia said.

So what if the BJP leaders like Advani and others joined the movement. "The movement will be under the manch and all leaders are invited there. If they want to join in, they should do so as members of the manch. But they have to sit in the audience. They can pass a resolution within their own political party," he said.

The VHP plans to meet the Members of Parliament from all parties soon and from September will hold 1,000 rallies across the country and reach out to four lakh villages. "We will take the stones from the Ram Sethu to each of this villages and perform pujas to apprise people about the issue and its importance. This will make them conscious of the whole thing and once the sentiments are raised, the government cannot ignore it," he added.

As for political parties not wholeheartedly coming to support the movement, he said, "Once it forms a mass base political parties won’t be able to ignore it."

Source: http://in.news.yahoo.com/070729/48/6irnq.html

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