Right-wing event’s call for Hindu Rashtra backed by deputy CM in Lucknow

New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak took part in an event that advocated for India to be declared a Hindu Rashtra. The gathering, held earlier this week in Lucknow, resulted in the passing of seven such resolutions.

Pathak, a prominent BJP leader in the state, also delivered a speech at the event.

The program was hosted by the Vishwa Hindu Raksha Parishad (VHRP), a relatively lesser-known right-wing Hindutva group formed last year, which is known to have close links with the BJP.

Gopal Rai, a social activist and the national president of the VHRP, told *The Wire* that the organization is dedicated to advocating for India to be declared a Hindu nation. Banners displayed by Rai in Lucknow to promote the Dharm Sansad event included references to the recent attack on tourists in Pahalgam.

“Na Batenge, Na Katenge. Dharma Sansad hain Zaroori. Koi dharma pooch kar na mare goli. (We will not be divided. We will not be slaughtered. Dharma Sansad is the need of the hour. So that nobody can shoot us after asking about our religion),” read the banner, as reported by the wire.

He emphasised the importance of Hindu unity, echoing a slogan introduced by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath the previous year, the Wire reported.

During his address, Pathak expressed strong support for sanatan dharma, highlighting what he sees as its growing global recognition under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He credited Modi with elevating the religion's status internationally.

Pathak also commended the VHRP and its president, Rai, for their efforts in spreading sanatan dharma and bringing people together through its values. He pledged to fully support the VHRP’s mission and said he would work closely with the organization to further its cause.

At the gathering, which was attended by several Hindu religious leaders and Hindutva figures, including the controversial Ayodhya priest Raju Das, seven proposals were passed.

Rai announced plans to launch a 'Sanatani helpline' aimed at assisting Hindus living in Muslim-majority regions such as West Bengal and Kerala, or in predominantly Muslim neighbourhoods. According to a VHRP representative, the helpline would coordinate with local authorities or police to provide timely support.

The organization also reaffirmed its goal of establishing India as a Hindu Rashtra and announced plans to open offices in Muslim-dominated areas to safeguard Hindus and their places of worship.

Additionally, the VHRP intends to organize a yatra from Murshidabad—an area in West Bengal recently affected by violence—to Jammu and Kashmir. The group will also institute a 'Sanatan Gaurav Bharat Samman,' an award to recognize individuals and groups advancing the Hindutva cause, with recipients chosen based on a nationwide survey.

The VHRP also announced plans to include the right-wing narratives of “love jihad” and “land jihad” in its agenda. The group stated it would initiate awareness campaigns aimed at discouraging relationships between Hindu girls and Muslim boys. Additionally, it plans to form a ‘Sanatani Sena,’ a type of civilian force, to monitor and counter alleged instances of “ land jihad.”