“Gun training given at a camp organised by Rashtriya Bajrang Dal, a far-right group led by Pravin Togadia,” tweeted the Hindutva Watch. But, Rajasthan Police in Sirohi said that they had no information about the camp
Waquar Hasan | Clarion India
NEW DELHI — A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA in Rajasthan has justified an event organised by Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad in Bhadsora village of Chittaurgarh district in which trishuls (tridents) were openly distributed.
On Thursday, the Hindutva Watch Twitter handle, which tracks hate crimes in the country, posted a video of the event organised by Hindutva groups in which participants were seen taking oaths to protect Santan dharma (religion).
According to the handle, trishuls were distributed by VHP and Bajrang Dal members. The video shows a large number of people taking oaths with trishuls in their hands. They pledged to establish Sanatan Sansakriti (culture) and protect Hindu values.
“We pledge that we will always protect sadhus and saints, temples and cows,” shouted the participants on the call of a man from the stage while chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’. The event was also attended by many minors as the video shows.
Clarion India found that local MLA Arjun Lal Jingar also attended the event. On his Facebook page, Jingar shared photos of the event and his attendance.
“I attended the Trishul Diksha event held by Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal in village Bhadsora,” wrote Jingar on his Facebook page.
When Clarion India asked Jingar about the event, he justified it by calling it a part of the Hindu faith.
The BJP legislator said that the distribution of trishuls doesn’t violate the law as the length of the weapon is smaller than 9 inches. “Weapons bigger than 9 inches violate the law. Our weapons are smaller than that,” he said.
Jingar said Bajrang Dal and VHP hold the trishul distribution event every year to protect and revive the Sanatan dharma. The event is held in the mukhyalaya (head office) of every block. They have held the event this time too and it was organised across the state.
Trishuls were distributed in several such events in the state recently. On Wednesday (19 April), Hindutva Watch Twitter handle also shared a video of the event in Rajasthan’s Jhalawar.
On 16 April, the Twitter handle shared a video of a gun training camp in Mount Abu.
“Gun training given at a camp organised by Rashtriya Bajrang Dal, a far-right group led by Pravin Togadia. In this video, a participant can be seen holding a rifle while others are practicing with wooden guns. The camp was held b/w April 13-15,” tweeted the Hindutva Watch.
Reacting to the tweet, Rajasthan Police in Sirohi said that they had no information about the gun training camp in the area.
