We did not hijack relief supplies: VHP

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, FEB. 10. The VHP's international secretary, Dr. Pravin Togadiya, today challenged newspapers to publish any evidence to show that Sangh Parivar volunteers had ``hijacked'' relief materials in the quake- hit regions of Gujarat.

Claiming that the VHP was working in full coordination with the Government, the Army and NGOs in all quake-hit areas, he said VHP volunteers need not indulge in taking away relief materials.

``We have 7,000 chapters in Gujarat, which, in fact, mobilised 650 truckloads of relief materials, including food and household supplies.''

At a press conference here, Dr. Togadiya took exception to the reports and said the organisation had asked the newspapers to publish ``the details of the names, date and places of government or NGOs from whom the VHP volunteers reportedly took away the relief materials. But till now they have not done it. If it is proved that such incidents took place, I am prepared to leave public life and work,'' he claimed.

The reports were ``an attempt to defame the international organisation. No one has the evidence and such reports are an insult to the organisation with 33,000 worldwide chapters''.

The VHP, he said, had taken it up with its lawyers and it would seek to sue the publications. Legal notices were to be sent in two or three days.

In all, nine relief camps were functioning under the VHP banner - Gujarat Bhukamp Sahayta Samiti - including four in Bhuj and two in Ahmedabad in which 15,000 volunteers were working to provide food, treat the injured and take care of the homeless.

It was helping organisations and companies to adopt affected villages. In Chennai, an anonymous donor had given Rs. 50 lakhs to adopt a village.

Next, the Parishad's camps would take up free education and cater to 1,500 orphans. Hundreds of temples, including an ancient Lord Krishna shrine had been destroyed or damaged.

The VHP would provide the resources to rebuild all of them, by using the labour of local villagers.

On the reported statement of the VHP leader, Mr. Ashok Singhal, that the Government should reject a Rs. 20 crore aid from the Vatican, Dr. Togadiya said it was an observation which stemmed from Mr. Singhal's apprehension that the funds could be used for religious conversion. ``The Pope had cleared two documents - one for religious conversion of Bharat and Asia and the other rejecting all religions except that of the Roman Catholic. It was in this background that Mr. Singhal expressed his observation.''

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Section  : National
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