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Pravin Togadia: Difference between revisions
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| native_name_lang = gu | | native_name_lang = gu | ||
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1956|12|12|df=y}} | | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1956|12|12|df=y}} | ||
| birth_place = [[Amreli district|Sajantimba]], [[ | | birth_place = [[Amreli district|Sajantimba]], [[Bombay State]], India<br>(now in [[Gujarat]], India) | ||
| nationality = {{flagicon|India}} [[Indian people|Indian]] | | nationality = {{flagicon|India}} [[Indian people|Indian]] | ||
| citizenship = | | citizenship = India | ||
| occupation = {{bulleted list| | | occupation = {{bulleted list| | ||
[[Physician|Doctor]] ([[Surgeon]])|[[Social activist]]}} | [[Physician|Doctor]] ([[Surgeon]])|[[Social activist]]}} | ||
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When Modi was banished to Delhi by [[Keshubhai Patel]], Togadia provided him support in Gujarat. Modi was eventually installed as the Chief Minister in 2001, with strong support from Togadia. In return for his support, Modi is said to have inducted [[Gordhan Zadafia]], Togadia's "right hand man" in VHP, as the Minister of State for Home.<ref name=Modi/> Togadia hailed the Modi Government as the start of the "[[Hindu Rashtra]]". In January 2002, he asked Hindus to cut all relations with Muslims.{{sfn|Bunsha|2005|p=42}} Through Zadafia, Togadia had an inside track into Modi's first government and had a substantial say in the postings of police officers in Gujarat. Some reports say this enabled VHP and [[Bajrang Dal]] to orchestrate so-called [[saffron terror]] during the [[2002 Gujarat riots]]. But these allegations on [[Narendra Modi]] was removed by subsequent courts proceedings. {{sfn|Bunsha|2005|p=55}} Togadia and VHP/BJP activists also interfered with the treatment of victims in hospitals, telling doctors whom to treat and whom to turn away.{{sfn|Bunsha|2005|p=94}} Togadia hailed the conduct of the riots as the "Hindutva laboratory" and said that it will be replicated in Delhi. "A Hindu Rashtra can be expected in the next two years... We will change India's history and Pakistan's geography by then," he said.{{sfn|Bunsha|2005|pp=12,25}} In the December 2002 elections to the Gujarat Assembly, Togadia campaigned for BJP enthusiastically, addressing more than 100 rallies.<ref name=Modi/> | When Modi was banished to Delhi by [[Keshubhai Patel]], Togadia provided him support in Gujarat. Modi was eventually installed as the Chief Minister in 2001, with strong support from Togadia. In return for his support, Modi is said to have inducted [[Gordhan Zadafia]], Togadia's "right hand man" in VHP, as the Minister of State for Home.<ref name=Modi/> Togadia hailed the Modi Government as the start of the "[[Hindu Rashtra]]". In January 2002, he asked Hindus to cut all relations with Muslims.{{sfn|Bunsha|2005|p=42}} Through Zadafia, Togadia had an inside track into Modi's first government and had a substantial say in the postings of police officers in Gujarat. Some reports say this enabled VHP and [[Bajrang Dal]] to orchestrate so-called [[saffron terror]] during the [[2002 Gujarat riots]]. But these allegations on [[Narendra Modi]] was removed by subsequent courts proceedings. {{sfn|Bunsha|2005|p=55}} Togadia and VHP/BJP activists also interfered with the treatment of victims in hospitals, telling doctors whom to treat and whom to turn away.{{sfn|Bunsha|2005|p=94}} Togadia hailed the conduct of the riots as the "Hindutva laboratory" and said that it will be replicated in Delhi. "A Hindu Rashtra can be expected in the next two years... We will change India's history and Pakistan's geography by then," he said.{{sfn|Bunsha|2005|pp=12,25}} In the December 2002 elections to the Gujarat Assembly, Togadia campaigned for BJP enthusiastically, addressing more than 100 rallies.<ref name=Modi/> | ||
After the December 2002 elections, however, Modi dropped Zadafia from his council of ministers, signaling to Togadia that his interference in government would not be welcome. Modi's biographer Andy Marino states that, while Modi took the blame for the 2002 riots, he knew the culpability of Togadia and the VHP. Togadia is reported to have complained after the elections that Modi was garnering all the "credit" for the riots whereas it was his men that did all the killing.{{sfn|Nag|2013|p=13}}{{sfn|Marino|2014|p=165}} During his second term of office, Modi took action against VHP interests and activists, both out of his own initiative as well as due to pressure from the Supreme | After the December 2002 elections, however, Modi dropped Zadafia from his council of ministers, signaling to Togadia that his interference in government would not be welcome. Modi's biographer Andy Marino states that, while Modi took the blame for the 2002 riots, he knew the culpability of Togadia and the VHP. Togadia is reported to have complained after the elections that Modi was garnering all the "credit" for the riots whereas it was his men that did all the killing.{{sfn|Nag|2013|p=13}}{{sfn|Marino|2014|p=165}} During his second term of office, Modi took action against VHP interests and activists, both out of his own initiative as well as due to pressure from the Supreme Court. | ||
Togadia in turn ridiculed Modi's efforts to reach out to Muslims through his ''sadbhavana'' initiatives. The influence of Togadia and the VHP in Gujarat fell steeply.{{citation needed|date=May 2019}} | Togadia in turn ridiculed Modi's efforts to reach out to Muslims through his ''sadbhavana'' initiatives. The influence of Togadia and the VHP in Gujarat fell steeply.{{citation needed|date=May 2019}} | ||
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==Controversies == | ==Controversies == | ||
Togadia was arrested in April 2003 after distributing tridents to [[Bajrang Dal]] activists in Ajmer, in a ceremony termed "trishul deeksha," defying a state government ban.<ref>{{cite news |title=Togadia defies ban, distributes tridents |newspaper=The Hindu |date=14 April 2003 |access-date=26 August 2014 |url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/2003/04/14/stories/2003041404280100.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090218171206/http://www.hinduonnet.com/2003/04/14/stories/2003041404280100.htm |archive-date=18 February 2009 |url-status= | Togadia was arrested in April 2003 after distributing tridents to [[Bajrang Dal]] activists in Ajmer, in a ceremony termed "trishul deeksha," defying a state government ban.<ref>{{cite news |title=Togadia defies ban, distributes tridents |newspaper=The Hindu |date=14 April 2003 |access-date=26 August 2014 |url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/2003/04/14/stories/2003041404280100.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090218171206/http://www.hinduonnet.com/2003/04/14/stories/2003041404280100.htm |archive-date=18 February 2009 |url-status=usurped |df=dmy-all }}</ref> | ||
He was released on bail on the condition that he would not distribute tridents. However, he continued to distribute them in other states.<ref name=slamsPM>{{cite news |title=Togadia slams PM on Pak |newspaper=The Tribune |date=5 May 2003 |access-date=1 September 2014 |url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20030505/main3.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303215302/http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20030505/main3.htm |archive-date=3 March 2016 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all }}</ref> | He was released on bail on the condition that he would not distribute tridents. However, he continued to distribute them in other states.<ref name=slamsPM>{{cite news |title=Togadia slams PM on Pak |newspaper=The Tribune |date=5 May 2003 |access-date=1 September 2014 |url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20030505/main3.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303215302/http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20030505/main3.htm |archive-date=3 March 2016 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all }}</ref> | ||