After inroads by the Bharatiya Janata Party into Jammu and Kashmir’s political arena, the right-wing organizations, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Rashtriya Swayam sevak Sangh, are slowly attempting to enter into the Valley and “make their base here.”
In a development that took many observers by surprise, a VHP leader Shiv Narayan Singh Tuesday held a meeting with J&K Governor N N Vohra.
An official spokesman said Singh—PRO of VHP—called on Governor N N Vohra, here at Raj Bhavan and “informed him about various important matters of high public interest” and the feedback he had “gained during the course of his travels to all parts of the State.”
“Singh also raised issue about the adverse consequences of Pakistan’s stepping up of activities along the LoC,” the spokesman said, without divulging the “matters of high public importance” that the VHP leader discussed with the Governor.
Singh later told that he “discussed Kashmir situation with the Governor.”
“We will talk on the issues I discussed with the Governor some other day,” he said.
However, Dr Surinder Kumar Jain, Joint General Secretary VHP, disclosed to us that Singh has been “assigned the job to meet dignitaries across country.” “Wherever he goes, he has to meet Chief Ministers, Governors and other people,” he said.
The senior VHP leader claimed that VHP has a base in Jammu and Leh and “is gaining in Kashmir.”
“So far we do not have a VHP unit in Kashmir, but we have a base and contacts in the Valley,” Jain said, adding, “The party opens units wherever the need arises.”
Sources said the VHP and RSS leaders have been frequenting Kashmir ever since the BJP took the reins in J&K after making a clean sweep in Jammu region, prompting the PDP to forge ties with the saffron party.
A senior BJP leader said RSS leaders “keep coming to BJP office in Srinagar for suggesting ways and means on how to make the party vibrant.”
“Many Shakhas have already been established in Kashmir by the RSS and a separate unit is running in the name of Muslim Morcha, which is the Muslim wing of RSS in Kashmir,” he said. “Most of the BJP leaders have RSS background and even BJP’s National General Secretary Ram Madhav was the basic member of RSS for years together. Madhav has visited thrice since BJP formed the government in Kashmir with PDP.”
Interestingly, sources said, the VHP is planning to “set its unit in Kashmir and to open an office also in the Valley.” Similarly, RSS too is eyeing a prime location to open an office in Srinagar, they said.
