VHP to meet EC for de-recognising SP & RJD

New Delhi, Feb 2 (IANS) Central Working President of the Vishva Hindu Parishad Alok Kumar is set to meet the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) seeking withdrawal of recognition to the Samajwadi Party (SP) and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).

Alok Kumar, who has sought an appointment with the CEC regarding the same, on Thursday said that the VHP wishes to draw the attention of the CEC to Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act 1951 which requires that the memorandum of each registered political party to have a specific provision that the party shall bear true faith and allegiance including to the principles of secularism and democracy.

The recent statements of Swami Prasad Maurya of SP disparaging the Ramcharitmanas and the burning of its pages are deliberate and malicious acts of outraging the religious feelings of a vast section of the citizens of India. The fact that Maurya has immediately after making the statements has been promoted to the office of General Secretary of the Party proves that his statement had the support of the whole Party, he said.

Similarly, the statements made by Dr. Chadrashekhar of the Rashtriya Janata Dal demanding a ban on Ramcharitmanas and his deliberate and malicious criticism of Manas and other holy books is calculated to cause outrage and an attempt to create mistrust and division between different sections of Hindu society. The Rashtriya Janata Dal has taken no action against the said person proving thereby that the statement has the Party's support, he added.

The VHP working president also said that the Samajwadi Party and Rashtriya Janata Dal have violated the basic conditions upon which the parties were registered and have become liable for the withdrawal of their registration.