Denials apart, HJM is very much a Sangh outfit

VHP and BJP leaders have been involved in the activities of the Manch, which surfaced mysteriously in south Gujarat early last year. They helped in organising and also participated in the rallies, held in Ahwa and other parts in the Dangs on the Christmas day. Among them were office-bearers of these organisations and at least one MLA. They say they worked with the Manch because they have a commonobjective.

Notwithstanding the denials emanating from Delhi, Gujarat Youth BJP vice-president Devarshibhai Joshi said the Manch is an outfit of the VHP, working in tribal areas. It is an umbrella organisation of all those attracted to Hindutva, Joshi said, adding, significantly, “Almost every one of its members holds dual membership”.

Naturally, therefore, activists of the VHP, BJP and other Sangh Parivar outfits were present in the HJM rallies at Tokarwa, Dolarwa, Vyara and Ahwa.

Among those at Tokarwa was BJP MLA from Bardoli Rajanikant Rajwadi. “I was just looking after the arrangements”, he said, trying to absolve himself of any links. Rajwadi, who is national secretary of the Adivasi Morcha of the BJP, said, “HJM is a separate organisation but, ideologically, we are one and we have the same objective.” Also present at Dolarwa was VHP district vice-president Subhas Takkar (Rajkotwala). He told this reporter that he had been in the RSS for 25 years. “The RSS asked me to work for the VHP so Iam in the VHP. Tomorrow, I may be asked to work for some other organisation. The RSS is the parent body; the VHP, Bajrang Dal and HJM are its branches,” he said.

The police are still looking for Dangs district BJP president Ramesh Chaudhary and VHP president Pradip Patil in connection with the incidents in Ahwa, Dangs.

They had not only participated in the rally, but had also allegedly spearheaded the mob that threw stones at Deep Darshan High School on Christmas Day.

The police have registered cases of rioting, instigating people and making inflammatory speeches against them, said DSP Rajendra Gaikwad. They were named, along with Janubhai Pawar, district president of HJM, in a complaint given to Minister of State for Home Haren Pandya by the Carmelite Sisters of Charity.

Pawar was arrested and later released on bail. He then denounced the state government and, probably in a fit of pique, disassociated himself from the BJP. In fact till December 25, activists of the HJM, VHP and Bajrang Dal had beenopenly saying that no one would dare touch them.

The Hindu Jagran Manch, also referred to as the Hindu Dharam Jagran Manch in media reports, is a shadowy organisation whose statements started coming to newspaper offices early last year. Its first programme was a rally at Ahwa in June, after which 12 people were arrested for making inflammatory speeches.

The Manch has no office, and its only known leaders are Pawar in the Dangs and Damji Patel in Surat. Before he became active in the Manch, Pawar would introduce himself to journalists as a VHP activist. Little is known about Patel.

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