Even as the controversial issue of senior VHP leader and former BJP MP Ramvilas Vedanti’s objectionable remarks against Sonia Gandhi and other senior Congress leaders is yet to settle down, another VHP leader Pravin Togadia’s remarks raked up another controversy commenting on the roles of churches in Chhattisgarh. Togadia allegedly stated that churches are hand-in-gloves with the Naxals. He made this controversial remark in Raipur recently. The remarks infuriated the Christian community as much as the Chhattisgarh Christian Forum lodged a complaint at the Civil Lines Police Station in Raipur charging the VHP general secretary with hurting the sentiments of the minority community. The Forum has demanded apology from Togadia. It has also submitted a memorandum to the Raipur SP to take action against such offensives comments.
“Togadia speaks a blatant lie and hurt the feelings of Christian minorities when he says that churches have connections with the Naxalites in Chhattisgarh,” stated the Forum.
General Secretary of the Forum Arun Pannalal said that this is an attempt to tarnish the image of the Christian community but the VHP leader will never succeed in this.
When contacted the Civil Lines Police Station in-charge DP Srivas said the Forum has produced several paper clippings justifying their claim on Togadia’s remarks. “We are examining the complaints before we decide to register the case against the VHP leader Togadia on his provocative comments,” said Srivas.
The Forum maintained that the several newspaper clippings submitted to the police are the wrong reports then the police should take action against the media for targeting Christians or else there is no reason why Togadia should not be booked by the police for his damaging remarks.
“We are even prepared to move the court to get our grievance redressed,” said Pannalal.