After holding a controversial ‘ghar vapsi’ (homecoming) programme in Agra last month, saffron outfits have targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s constituency – Varanasi -- for a grand ‘ghar vapsi’ of over 10,000 people at a ‘dharam jagran sammelan’ next month.
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad, a frontal organisation of the RSS, would conduct the ceremony at Bharat Mata Mandir in Varanasi on February 8.
Ramchandra Pandey, senior RSS pracharak and regional head of ‘dharam jagran’ cell of the saffron organisation, was in Varanasi on Saturday to plan out the programme.
Pandey presided over two important meetings and also met seers at several ‘maths’ seeking their feedback on the ‘ghar vapsi’ programme.
The VHP would be celebrating 2015 as its centenary year and a VVIP city like Varanasi was their first choice for their celebrations. In line with the city’s newfound status, it has set a target of re-conversion of 10,000 people living in Varanasi and its adjoining areas. People from across the region are also expected to take part in the ceremony.
“In this ‘ghar vapsi’ programme people from all across east Uttar Pradesh are expected to assemble here. Those who have been recently re-converted to Hinduism will also attend the ceremony,” said Manoj Srivastava, prant sangathan mantri, VHP.
{{/usCountry}}“In this ‘ghar vapsi’ programme people from all across east Uttar Pradesh are expected to assemble here. Those who have been recently re-converted to Hinduism will also attend the ceremony,” said Manoj Srivastava, prant sangathan mantri, VHP.
{{/usCountry}}The VHP would also raise the issue of clean Ganga, terrorism and women’s security at the ceremony.
Apart from VHP leader Ashok Singhal, firebrand BJP MP from Gorakhpur Yogi Adityanath and Swami Vasudevanand Saraswati are also expected to attend the ceremony.
RSS leaders would not openly take part in the ceremony but are expected to play a pro-active role covertly in making the ceremony successful.
However, it is felt that it would not be easy for saffron outfits to conduct the ceremony in Modi’s constituency as the BJP government has already made it clear that it has nothing to do with the ‘ghar vapsi’ progarmmes of the VHP and RSS.
The ‘ghar vapsi’ campaigns of the RSS and VHP first came to light on December 8 last when around 150 persons from 57 families allegedly re-converted to Hinduism in Agra. The families denied the re-conversion the very next day.
The incident led to an uproar in Parliament giving an opportunity to the Opposition to launch a scathing attack on the BJP government.
Also, the ‘ghar vapsi’ ceremony planned by the VHP in Ghazipur last year proved to be a damp squib.