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Hindus 'regained' empire of Delhi after 800 yrs

Says VHP patron as mass conversion in Modi's Gujarat sparks anger

Agencies
Amid a growing religious conversion row, Vishwa Hindu Parishad yesterday said that Hindu values would be restored in the country.
Speaking at a book launch, VHP patron Ashok Singhal said it was due to their "struggle" in the last 50 years that Hindus have "regained" the lost "empire" of Delhi after 800 years.
"Our culture and religion were subjugated and we struggled. In 800 years, a day has now come in which we can say we have a government which is committed to protecting Hindutva. Our values will be gradually established in the country," Singhal added.
Referring to the BJP government, he said Hindus have come back to power in Delhi after Rajput king Prithviraj Chauhan lost it in the 12th century.
Earlier, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan
Bhagwat on Saturday described India as a Hindu rashtra (nation).
Addressing the first-ever public rally by Vishwa Hindu Parishad in West Bengal, Bhagwat said, "This is our own country, our Hindu 'rashtra' (nation). ... What we have lost in the past, we will try to bring it back. No one should be afraid of Hindus rising. Those who are raising their voice against the rise of Hindus are selfish and have vested interests. And if they oppose, there will be confrontation."
“Hindus have been tolerating crimes by Bangladesh or Pakistan. Our God says after 100 crimes, you must not forgive any crime," he said.
These comments are significant at a time when political parties in the opposition have unitedly stalled Rajya Sabha following 'ghar wapasi' programmes by saffron outfits.
Meanwhile, hardline Hindu groups came under fire yesterday after some 200 Christians were converted in the Indian prime minister's home state, amid increasing concern at the right-wing government's perceived pro-Hindu tilt.
The radical VHP said it converted Christian tribal people to their original Hindu faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's western home state of Gujarat late Saturday.
The mass event drew widespread criticism from Christian groups and Modi's political opponents. They accused radical organisations linked to Modi's ruling party, like the RSS, of forcing or enticing religious minorities to convert to Hinduism.
"Extreme right wing is flexing its muscles. VHP/RSS through Hindutatva ("Hinduness") ... rewriting history and economic policies," Digvijay Singh, a leader of the opposition Congress party, posted on Twitter early yesterday.
It happened hours after Modi's Hindu nationalist
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ideological mentor RSS called for a new law to ban "forced religious conversions".
The world's most populous democracy is a secular country under the constitution and religious freedom is considered a fundamental right.
A hardline group linked to the BJP was accused of converting some 50 slumdwelling Muslim families about a week ago in the Taj Mahal city of Agra. One of the converts told AFP they were promised ration cards and other financial incentives if they switched religions.
Critics say Hindu hardline groups have become emboldened since the BJP was elected, promoting a Hindu-dominant agenda. Modi, who spent his early years in the RSS, has made no comment on religious issues since becoming premier.
India is 80 percent Hindu while Muslims make up 13.4 percent of the 1.2 billion population. Christians, Buddhists, Sikhs and other religions account for the rest.