Bajrang Dal arms training to cadres to take on ‘love jehadists’

Bajrang Dal, the youth wing of Vishwa Hindu Parishad, is providing arms training to its youth in Madhya Pradesh to fight against alleged ‘anti-nationals and love jehadist’, which drew an angry reaction from the Congress.

Bajrang Dal leader from Rajgarh Devi Singh Sisodiya said, “We organize such 10-day camps in all 51 districts of the state every year to train newly recruited Bajrang Dal activists on how to use guns, lathis to take on ‘love jehadist’ – a term used when a Muslim boy marries a Hindu girl – anti-nationals and cow slaughterers.

Photos of one such camp in Biora, Rajgarh district showing a group being given fire arms training, became viral in the social media drawing condemnation from former chief minister Digvijaya Singh’s son and MLA from Raghogarh, Jaivardhan Singh. In a tweet he said, “Suprisingly, they are imparting training of becoming murderers in the name of Rashtravaad. Our Army is protecting our nation, we don’t need organisation who hold such violent camps.”

Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee spokesperson Manak Agrawal said, “The RSS is imparting arms training to youth to use force during election. They are giving illegal arms and canes to youth. There is a chance that these people will turn the peaceful protest of farmers into violent one. These people are flourishing under BJP government and police is not taking action against them.”

Bajrang Dal, vibhag sanyojak, Lokendra Malviya said they have been holding these camps since 1995. “The Durga Vahini, the women’s wing of VHP also holds similar camps. We have nothing to do with the government and we held such camps during Digvijay Singh’s tenure also.”

Malviya termed the Congress allegations are baseless. “The guns were only air guns. We are imparting physical training to make them stronger. Also if such training is unconstitutional, why is the police not taking action against us.”

BJP spokesperson Rajneesh Agrawal said, “It’s self-defence training programme and there is nothing wrong in it unless they are using illegal guns. Police should probe the matter and if they find guilty of using illegal arms, necessary action should be taken against them.”

Bhopal Inspector General (IG) of police Jaideep Prasad said, “we don’t know about other camps but we saw pictures of Bajrang Dal’s Biora, Rajgarh camp. The superintendent of police, Rajgarh is probing in the matter and required action will be taken only after completion of investigation.”