Hindu Mahasabha national Spokesperson Pramod Pandit Joshi launched a scathing attack against the BJP after the arrest of Vaibhav Raut, a member of ‘Hindu Govansh Raksha Samiti’ on Thursday night. He claimed that BJP is only following Hindutva to garner Hindu votes and Sanatan Sanstha is being made a scapegoat. According to him, Sanatan Sanstha has always opposed the double standards of BJP; hence, BJP is repeatedly trying to harass them. Joshi added that BJP has nothing to do with any entity, organisation or person working for the religion. The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) had recovered around eight crude bombs and other explosives from Raut’s residence.
“BJP is trying to harass the Sanatan Sanstha as it never obeys the former’s vote bank agenda,” said Joshi. He further stated, “There is no difference between BJP and RSS; on the instructions of pre-independence Congress, the Jana Sangh was founded by the RSS to finish Hindutva politics and encourage the secular politics of Congress. Later on, the same Jana Sangh became BJP; with the modern time, they may claim that they are pro-Hindu and there are working with the agenda of Hindutva, but if you carefully notice, their Hindutva agenda is only for votes.”
After the arrest of Vaibhav Raut, a member of ‘Hindu Govansh Raksha Samiti’, Congress and rationalist leaders and organisations have hastily called for imposing a ban on Sanatan Sanstha. Vaibhav Raut is merely arrested, much before the submission of any evidence, prior to the completion of the investigation. Even though Raut is yet to be proven guilty in the court of law, the media trials have begun and they declared him “Hindu Terrorist”; there was selective outrage on social media. Ever since the BJP has come to the power, the Sanatan Sanstha has been constantly under attack and a demand was also made during the UPA reign to impose a ban on the organisation.
Sanatan Sanstha spokesperson Chetan Rajhans told Afternoon Voice, “It is indeed surprising and one may wonder if these leaders have forgotten that, ‘the democracy and the judiciary of this nation are still alive!’ Those with the blood of the Sikh genocide on their hands, and those who had muzzled the media and the Opposition by imposing an Emergency, are now attempting a similar ban on Sanatan.”
“The rationalists are also seeking a ban on Sanatan, but it is important to note that this demand is deceitful. Vaibhav Raut is not a seeker of Sanatan; however, he had been actively involved in numerous rallies and processions organised by devout Hindu organisations. Around eight crude bombs and raw materials were seized. Raut (40), a real estate agent has been an active participant of cow vigilance pursuits,” he added.
Hindu Janajagruti Samiti leader Sunil Ghanvat said, “Incidents of needless pestering of activists of the Hindu organisations to incriminate them in false cases are not new anymore. This has been amply proved through the Malegaon case. Vaibhav Raut is a courageous cow defender. He remained active through an organisation — Hindu Govansh Raksha Samiti — dedicated to the protection of cows, he used to participate in the programmes and agitations organised by uniting Hindu organisations under the aegis of HJS.”
A number of Hindu organisations have decided to hold an agitation against the imprisonment of a hardcore cow protector. Organisations like Hindu Rashtra Sena, Hindu Mahasabha, Hindu Govansh Raksha Samiti, Shri Shivpratishthan Hindusthan, Hindu Rashtra Janajagaran Samiti, Maharana Pratap Battalion, and others have condemned his arrest and they suspect this as a conspiracy.
Nirmohi Akhara Mahant alleged that various investigation agencies and “so-called progressive organisations” seem to be more interested in “maligning” Hindus through “media trial” rather than letting the law take its own course. A conspiracy is being hatched and ATS has an anti-Hindu image.
Sanatan Sanstha has been under the scanner of the investigating agency for the murders of Narendra Dabholkar, communist leader Govind Pansare, and rationalist M M Kalburgi, but nothing could be proven against them.
