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Eighth dharma sansad calls for removal of untouchability, casteism

The three-day eighth dharma sansad [religious parliament] ended on Sunday on a positive note with an appeal to remove social evils like untouchability and casteism from the country. A plea was also made to the central and Uttar Pradesh governments to hand over the disputed site at Ayodhya to the Ram Janambhoomi trust immediately to allow the construction of a Ram temple.

Briefing reporters, Vishwa Hindu Parishad Senior Vice-President Acharya Giriraj Kishore said the religious parliament has appealed to all 6500 sadhus who attended it to go to every nook and corner of the country and help remove social evils and caution people against the 'designs' of proselytising religions.

He said the parliament had underlined the need to stop religious conversions and to forge unity and brotherhood among the 2,000 million non-aggressive Hindus and Buddhists.

Asked about reconversions to the Hindu fold, he said it was only a "home-coming". In reply to a question, the acharya clarified that even Christians and Muslims could be included in the Hindu fold if they gave up "extra-territorial loyalties", to the Vatican and Mecca, and believed that India was their motherland.

Acharya Kishore said that if the central government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party government fell they would seek help from the sadhus and sants to create a "vast Hindu vote bank". After that the BJP would need no "crutches" to ensure the stability of it's government, he said.

Asked if the VHP itself harboured any political ambitions, Acharya Kishore said the Parishad had no such plans.

"We believe that rajshakti [political power] should be controlled by dharmashakti [religious power]''.

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