India must have a Uniform Civil Code: VHP resolution

There has to be stern action against forcible religious conversions and India must have a uniform civil code, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), a right-wing organisation, demanded in a resolution on Sunday.

The organisation of mostly Hindu monks also resolved to strengthen the joint family system and vowed to work to free temples from government control at its biannual central advisory board meeting in the holy city of Haridwar.

These resolutions were passed during the concluding session of the meeting of the VHP, which is affiliated to the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh, the ideological parent of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), at Ñishkam Sewa Trust ashram.

Ascetics and seers from across the country, including representatives of the Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad — the apex body of Hindu monastic orders — took part in the meeting.

Some participants expressed concern over the violent protests by members of the Muslim community after Friday prayers in various parts of the country against controversial statements against Prophet Mohammed by non-suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma.

Central and state governments should take legal action against those who instigated mobs, said Jagadguru Shankaracharya Vasudevanand Saraswati.

“Muslim brothers should not make mosque or prayer meetings a platform to carry out nefarious designs of antisocial elements or those involved in religious hate propaganda,” said Swami Chidanand Muni of Parmarth Ashram in Rishikesh.

The participating seers also raised issues related to the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi and Shahi Eidgah mosque in Mathura that are being heard in various courts, expressing confidence that truth will prevail and claims of Hindus will be recognised.

“Scientific, archaeological, historical and mythological findings will play a vital role in the legal outcome and we have full faith in courts in this regard,” VHP national general secretary Milind Parande said.

During a television debate on May 28, Sharma made controversial remarks about Prophet Mohammad. On June 5, the BJP suspended Sharma and expelled its Delhi unit media head Naveen Kumar Jindal as the row over their derogatory remarks escalated, and some Muslim countries protested. The BJP also issued a statement saying that “it respects all religions and strongly denounces insults of any religious personality”.

Speaking on the controversy, Parande said Sharma has apologised and has been suspended by the BJP. “But owing to a broader conspiracy, she is being unduly targeted and threatened,” he said.

There is a need of “reviving joint family tradition, inculcating morality based values among children to make the society and world as a whole a global family in line with the concept of vasudev kutumbkam (world is one big family)”, he said.

“Our discussion was predominantly on having uniform civil code in the country, non-interference of government in the management of temples, and a strict legislation against religious conversion by force or luring,” Swami Kailashanand Giri of Niranjani Akhada, a monastic order, said on Saturday when the two-day meeting started.

“We want to live with harmony,” he said. “We hope there will be good outcome from this two-day meeting.”

During the meeting, participants also lauded the BJP-led Uttarakhand government for acting on the implementation of the uniform civil code weeks after forming the government in the state in March this year.

The VHP holds its central advisory board meeting every two years and invites seers and ascetics from across the country to discuss religious, social and spiritual issues. Resolutions are passed that are later raised at the VHP executive working committee and dialogue is initiated with the government on these resolutions.