Day after controversial posters in Kashi, VHP says needs probe

He also said identity of the two persons seen in the videos that emerged online is yet to be ascertained.

The police said an inquiry has been initiated. Additional Superintendent of Police, Kashi (Varanasi), Rajesh Kumar Pandey said on Friday, “We are trying to identify people who put up those posters. Action will be taken against them as per decisions taken. All posters have been removed.”

The posters, carrying VHP and Bajrang Dal symbols, purportedly said that temples in Varanasi are symbols of Indian culture, and that people who do not follow “Sanatan Dharma” are not welcome at the ghats.

The same day, videos of two men, seen claiming to belong to the VHP and the Bajrang Dal, emerged online — in it, they claimed to have put up the posters.

In the videos, Rajan Gupta, who claims to be VHP’s Kashi mahanagar mantri, purportedly said that the posters are a “message for people not following Sanatan Dharma”. It said, “Ganga ghats and temples are symbols of Sanatan Dharma and the centre of faith…this is not a picnic spot. If they have faith in Sanatan Dharma, they are welcome. If not, we will send them away.”

In another video, Nikhil Tripathi ‘Rudra’, who claimed to be Kashi’s Bajrang Dal sanghyojak, is purportedly heard making similar statements. He purported said that the poster was a “warning to people — River Ganga is our mother, it is not a picnic spot. They have been warned to stay away from here. If they don’t remain at a distance, Bajrang Dal will make sure they are (sent) away from here.”

Distancing the organisation from the controversy, a VHP leader said on the condition of anonymity, “Some people try to get limelight and take wrong and immature steps. We don’t endorse such actions.”