Recuperating Pravin Togadia gets support from unlikely allies-Hardik Patel, Congress

The VHP international working president claimed that he went into hiding on Monday, fearing that police might kill him in an encounter after arresting him in connection with an old case.

Modhwadia, who is a vocal critic of the VHP’s Hindutva ideology, demanded an independent inquiry into Togadia’s allegations.  “We all know the track record of Rajasthan police (about encounters). We also know what happens to those who raise voice against the BJP, be it (BJP leaders) Sanjay Joshi, Haren Pandya or (CBI) judge (B H) Loya. To stop recurrence of such incidents, an independent inquiry must be conducted in Togadia’s case,” Modhwadia told reporters.

ALSO READ | Pravin Togadia goes missing and is found, angry VHP workers hit Gujarat streets

Patel, meanwhile, said although he didn’t agree with the ideology of Togadia, his support will always be there for the VHP leader.  “Rights of common people are being snatched. I may not agree with Pravinbhai’s ideology, but I am always with him. We all know what kind of conspiracies are being hatched by Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. I don’t know about Hindus, but a leader of a Hindu organisation is definitely in danger now,” he said.

Gujarat Congress chief Bharatsinh Solanki and the party’s state in-charge Ashok Gehlot also joined the chorus of those demanding an inquiry into Togadia’s claim that he could be killed in an encounter. Gehlot was the chief minister of Rajasthan when Togadia was booked under section 188 of IPC for defying police orders in Gangapur town of that state in 2002.

Addressing reporters, Togadia said some people were trying to stifle his voice and not allowed to speak on issues like Ram temple, farmers’ issues, and cow slaughter. “Yesterday morning, I was performing pooja, when messages came that a large contingent of Rajasthan Police, along with Gujarat Police, was coming to encounter me (kill me in an encounter),” a teary-eyed Togadia claimed.

“After informing my security guards, I, along with a VHP worker, took an auto-rickshaw, and went to Theltej area of the city. I called up Rajasthan chief minister (Vasundhara Raje) and home minister (Gulabchand Kataria) but they denied their police had come to Gujarat to arrest me. This raised more suspicion and I switched off my mobile phones,” he said.

With PTI inputs

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