To bring 'people back to Hindu fold', VHP's mass campaign in 400 districts

With Maha Kumbh getting over soon, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) is back to its core ideas, with the organisation planning a pan-India movement to stop alleged religious conversions across the country.

The VHP, known for Ghar Wapsi-like initiatives, has identified nearly 400 “sensitive” districts, in primarily Opposition-ruled states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Jharkhand and Punjab. The organization claims "it helped over 19,000 people to return to the Hindu fold" between July and December 2024.

It's learnt that the right-wing outfit is raising a dedicated group of volunteers who will be called Dharma Rakshaks (protectors of religion) and "who will work to stop the alleged religious conversions in the country".

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Dedicated volunteers

“VHP usually has pracharaks who are full-time volunteers involved in different fields of work. The volunteers who will become Dharma Rakshaks will also be full-time volunteers, but they will not be given any organisational duties. They will only work to stop religious conversions and bring back people to the Hindu fold. In some states, they will work as a bridge between governments and our legal teams so that necessary action can be taken to stop religious conversions,” Vinod Bansal, national spokesperson of VHP, told The Federal.

The VHP has divided the country into 1,100 units and has identified more than 400 districts as “sensitive” due to higher chances of religious conversions there.

“These 1,100 are not administrative districts/units of the country but are demarcations done by the VHP. There is a need for urgent action in the states where there is a greater threat of religious conversions. We will make religious conversions a major issue in these states,” he added.

Team already active

“The VHP already has over 400 Dharma Rakshaks who are working in different states but there is a need for many more full-time volunteers. It is our duty not just to stop religious conversions but also to help those people return to the Hindu fold. The VHP is involved in stopping religious conversions, and also helps settle those people who have voluntarily returned to the Hindu fold. We help people restart their lives by training them in different skills,” Bansal said.

Bansal also claimed that the VHP helped over 19,000 people to return to the Hindu fold between July and December 2024 and saved more than 66,000 people from being allegedly converted to other religions.

‘Sensitive’ districts

Most of the 400 “sensitive” districts identified by the saffron outfit are in the states where Opposition parties are in power, such as Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Jharkhand, Punjab and parts of North East.

The BJP-ruled states like Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh have already brought stringent laws to stop religious conversions. Maharashtra and Rajasthan are expected to follow suit.

“The decision of the BJP-ruled states to bring strict anti-conversion laws should not be seen in isolation. There is a bigger idea at play here. The Centre has been systematically making efforts to protect the minorities from countries like Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh by bringing in laws like the CAA. The states under the BJP are also bringing anti-conversion laws to protect its citizens,” Dilip Deodhar, a Nagpur-based author and RSS observer, told The Federal.

Also read: Maha Kumbh: VHP protests as airfares to Prayagraj zoom; govt steps in

Political agenda

Political analysts feel that the anti-conversion laws are more political in nature, "aimed to satisfy the Hindutva elements".

In the absence of credible data to suggest large-scale conversions in the country, only the government can implement the laws and ensure that census takes place, some feel.

“I personally believe that conversions do take place but not on such a large scale that threatens to change the demography of a region or the country. There is a lack of credible data to suggest conversions are happening, while Census has also not been conducted. The anti-conversion laws are only to satisfy the Hindutva forces. It is a political move. Social media is also being used to create a scare on demography change. It is for the government to look into allegations of forced conversions so that these sensitive issues do not create trouble in society,” Amit Dholakia, professor at the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, told The Federal.