Embarrassed by the controversial statement made by Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Ashok Singhal, the Bharatiya Janata Party has refrained from commenting on his remark that every Hindu couple should produce at least five children to counter the “increasing population of the minority religion”.
“I will not react to what he (Singhal) said. I haven’t heard or read about the controversial statement made by Singhal,” Madhya Pradesh BJP media incharge Hitesh Bajpai said.
The statement made by Singhal has also put Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in a spot. Chouhan, who has been nurturing his ‘secular image’ for a larger national role, too chose not to react to the statement, for the fear of antagonizing the VHP supporters in the state.
Singhal had made the controversial statement while addressing a press conference in Bhopal on Saturday evening where he praised BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi and added that the VHP would support the BJP in its quest for making Modi the PM. Singhal had demanded the stopping of religious conversion as not doing so would reduce the Hindus to a minority in the country.
Singhal, who also met the Rashtriya Swayam Sevak chief Mohan Bhagwat during his stay in Bhopal, said that the Hindus were constantly under threat from the “Jihadis”.
“A certain religion has constituted liberation armies. From whom do they want to be liberated?” he said. Commenting on the statement made by Singhal, state Congress president Arun Yadav termed it ‘communal’ and said it was aimed at disturbing the communal harmony of the country.
“This is totally an unnecessary and wrong statement, which might disturb the communal harmony of not just the state but the entire country. What was the reason behind making such a statement just before the elections? The VHP wants to disturb the communal harmony for electoral gains,” he said.