Get ready for Ram temple construction: VHP to volunteers

BHOPAL: Volunteers of rightwing groups are being asked to prepare themselves for the construction of the Ram Temple at Ayodhya in the poll-bound state of Uttar Pradesh

Published on: Jun 8, 2016, 12:24:25 IST

By Shruti Tomar

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

BHOPAL: Volunteers of rightwing groups are being asked to prepare themselves for the construction of the Ram Temple at Ayodhya in the poll-bound state of Uttar Pradesh during a weapons training programme in Madhya Pradesh.

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) made its intentions clear during the week-long training camp for its women activists saying they will have to “tackle any obstacle” during the construction of the temple in the communally sensitive state, where polls are slated for early 2017.

Durga Vahini volunteers, who are being trained on the outskirts of Madhya Pradesh’s capital city of Bhopal, learned to shoot guns and use cane sticks during the Shourya Prashikshan Shivir or bravery training camp. VHP and Bajrang Dal activists also attended the camp.

“Durga Vahini came into existence after Babri Masjid demolition. That’s why we are asked to be prepared and get ourselves trained to tackle any such situation in future which may come in the way of the construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya,” Kirti Dixit, Bhopal convener of the VHP’s women’s wing, told Hindustan Times.

Dixit added that they were taught to use firearms and cane sticks to save themselves from anti-social elements and protect the ‘Hindu dharma’.

VHP’s Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh regional pracharak Rajesh Tiwari also echoed similar sentiments saying the youngsters learnt about self-defence and Hindu culture.

“We are happy that our women’s wing is showing immense enthusiasm in the training camp for construction of the Ram Temple. They will definitely play an important role in Ram Mandir,” Tiwari said.

The VHP, which is affiliated to the RSS, decided to launch the construction of the controversial temple from December 31 during the Ujjain Kumbh.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shruti Tomar
I have spent over a decade chronicling Madhya Pradesh’s political and social landscape, covering politics, investigative journalism, crime, human interest, and government policy, blending sharp insight with ground‑level depth. I have closely tracked three assembly elections, three Lok Sabha elections, leadership transitions in MP while exposing governance lapses, tender irregularities, and flawed policy rollouts. My reports have revealed gaps in the Cheetah project, irregularities in medical education, rigging in recruitment exams, and loopholes in policy implementation. In crime reporting, I have moved beyond FIRs to map systemic patterns — from organised crime networks and gender‑based violence to custodial accountability — balancing urgency with sensitivity. My journalism is defined by a commitment to human interest. I have profiled the marginalised Bancchda community, documented atrocities against tribal groups, and highlighted efforts to preserve their culture through heritage liquor and revival of spiritual practices. I have reported on farmers struggling with failed MSP promises, giving voice to those often reduced to statistics in policy files. Passionate about field reporting, I have reported on rampant sand mining in Chambal and Narmada, pharmaceutical companies supplying medicines under altered names, the dire condition of schools and colleges, the plight of commercial sex workers, and skewed sex ratios in specific districts. Beyond deadlines, and as HT’s state correspondent and assistant editor in Madhya Pradesh, I engage with ministers, farmers, students, and activists, believing the best policy stories begin with a single human voice. A postgraduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, I also hold a diploma in sports journalism.Read More

Check India news real-time updates, latest news on Hindustan Times and more across India.