Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) president Pravin Togadia on Tuesday created a sensation by claiming that there was a plot to eliminate him in a fake encounter.
Togadia had gone missing on Monday morning apparently to avoid arrest by police in a decade-old case. Hours later, he was discovered in unconscious state and admitted to a hospital.
Addressing a Press conference, Togadia claimed there is an attempt to suppress his voice for raising issues like the construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya, price hikes of agriculture produce, and resettlement of Kashmiri Hindus.
“I don’t fear death or police encounter, but at the same time, I needed to protect myself. There was an attempt to muzzle my voice by reopening old cases in various States,” he said.
Following the VHP leaders sudden disappearance, hundreds of activists of the Hindu outfit came on the roads of different cities of Gujarat, including that of Ahmedabad on Monday.
Rajasthan Police personnel had come to arrest Togadia in connection with a case that had been almost forgotten. He has been charged under Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the IPC. The Rajasthan Police had to return empty handed as they could not find him at his residence.
During the interaction with the media, Togadia revealed that at a time when he was performing morning prayers, a VHP sympathiser alerted him that the Rajasthan Police along with the Gujarat Police personnel were coming to arrest him with an intension to kill him in a fake encounter.
“Hence I decided to leave the VHP office on Monday morning after instructing my security guards,” he said. The VHP leader enjoys Z-plus security cover.
According to him, Togadia took an auto from Paldi area where VHP’s Ahmedabad office is situated and went to Thaltej area in the city. Togadia claimed to have contacted the Rajasthan Chief Minister as well as the State Home Minister but they were ignorant about any such action of the Rajasthan Police. “After talking to the Rajasthan CM, I decided to switch off my mobile phone,” he said.
“The Rajasthan Police action was suspicious,” said Togadia, adding, “if the police team of the neighbouring State would come to arrest him either the State Home Minister or the CM must have knowledge about it.”
“Later on, I contacted my lawyer in Rajasthan to get the arrest warrant cancelled. When the lawyers said it was not easy to do so, Togadia decided to go to Jaipur. On way to airport, I felt dizzy and suddenly felt unconscious. I’ve no idea what happened after that. When I gained sense, I found myself on a hospital bed,” said the VHP president.
While there was no oiffical word from the BJP on Togadia’s sensational allegation, senior party leader Subramanian Swamy expressed solidarity with the VHP leader. “I say to Togadia — Resolve to recover and rise. We Hindus need you and will stand by you in the cause of Hindutva,” Swamy tweeted.
Senior RSS leader MG Vaidya said only Togadia can reveal who was behind the alleged conspiracy to kill him.
“Togadia has said he will provide evidence (to show who is behind the conspiracy). We should wait till then,” Vaidya said, responding to questions of reporters in Nagpur.
Interestingly, those who visited him to enquire his well-being on Tuesday were from an unexpected quarter including former Leader of Opposition in Gujarat Assembly and Congress leader Arjun Modhvadia and pro-quota Patidar leader Hardik Patel. Former IPS officer and one of the accused in Ishrat Jahan encounter case, DG Vanzara also paid his visit.