No new route for VHP’s Godhra rally

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s (VHP) request that it be allowed to take out its annual rally in Godhra on February 27 by a different route has been rejected by the district administration.

The VHP takes out the rally on February 27 every year in memory of those who died in the fire in Sabarmati Express on that day in 2002.

The organisation said it had sought a change of route as VHP international executive president Pravin Togadia will be visiting the place for the event this year. It claims the rally by the new route would have further promoted sadbhavna.

“Our international executive president will be coming to Godhra this year as this is the 10th anniversary of the train tragedy. Hence, we wanted to take out the rally by a new route. Almost 95% the areas on the new route have only Hindu residents. Only one area — Syeedwado — has a mixed population of Hindus and Muslims but even this area has a record of communal harmony. There were no riots here even in 2002,” said Rajendra Tiwari, joint coordinator of the VHP rally in Godhra.

He further said that they had been taking out the rally by a shorter route every year. “But as our international president is coming this year, we wanted to extend it further. However, the Godhra police have refused permission for the new route,” Tiwari said.

“I want to say that the chief minister has also been spreading the message of sadbhavna. But unless Hindus and Muslims meet each other, how will this Sadbhavna spread? It is possible that some members of the Muslim community might have joined our rally as a sadbhavna gesture,” Tiwari said.

Sources in the VHP had indicated that it was Togadia who had insisted on taking out the rally by the new route but VHP international executive president denied this. Togadia told DNA over phone that he was not aware of the details of the rally. 

"I will be making some announcements on February 27 at Godhra in the rally. But I don't know anything about the details of the programme. Hence, I can't comment on the details," Togadia said.  Talking about the their February 27 rally in Godhra, joint secretary of state unit of VHP Shambhuprasad Shukla said that they had been organizing the rally and a tribute programme every year.

"Around 10,000 to 15,000 people participate in the entire programme. This year, too, there will be a rally in which around 500 motorcycles and 100 four-wheelers will also take part. It will conclude at Godhra railway station in the yard where the S-6 coach is kept. There will be a recitation of Sundarkand by Ashwinbhai Pathak. Once again, we will be taking an oath to build the Ram temple in Ayodhya," Shukla said.

Panchmahals district collector Manisha Chandra confirmed that permission had been given to the VHP to take out the rally by the old route. "We gave them permission as they have been organising the rally every year. The administration will make adequate arrangements to ensure that there is law and order," the collector added.