VHP president Praveen Togadia visits Bajrang Dal's 'self-defence' camp in Noida, defends arms training of activists

Noida: Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) president Praveen Togadia on Saturday visited the 'self-defence' camp organised by the Bajrang Dal at the Saraswati Shishu Mandir in Noida, Sector 12.

He arrived at the camp at 9 am.  Defending the Bajrang Dal`s `self-defence` camp as "social responsibility", Togadia said the Bajrang Dal has been organising such camps under the ambit of constitutional law for the past 25 years in every state of the country, whether it is a Congress-ruled state or SP, BSP, Communists or BJP-ruled.

"Under the Indian Constitution and laws, every citizen of India has the right to pursue activities, and the Bajrang Dal has been organising `Yuva Shaurya Prasikshan` camps for the past 25 years to make the youth of the nation healthy whether it is a Congress-ruled state or SP, BSP, Communists or BJP-ruled," he told reporters after attending a valedictory function of the self-defence camp.

As per reports, over 300 participants are undergoing training to handle situations like 'attacks by extremist groups' in the week-long camp which started on May 21.

The organisation has hired trainers of judo, karate, nunchaku, stick and sword fighting for training the participants in the camp.

Bajrang Dal leader Mahesh Sharma, who was on Tuesday arrested in connection with the 'self defence' camp organised in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya city, was yesterday sent to 14-day judicial custody.

The Faizabad CJM court passed this order after Sharma was charged with hurting religious sentiments of the Muslim community and spreading communal hatred under Section 153 A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Earlier on May 14, a 'self-defence' camp was organised at Karsevakpuram, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) workshop, in Ayodhya.

In the video that went viral on Monday, volunteers wearing skull caps were reportedly seen brandishing firearm, swords and lathis.

In the annual self-defence camp, the Bajrang Dal cadres are trained to use rifles, swords and sticks so that they can 'protect the Hindus'.

The cadres were in the video seen killing men dressed as Muslims during the mock drill.

The Bajrang Dal had planned to organise similar camps in Sultanpur, Gorakhpur, Pilibhit, Noida and Fatehpur cities in the state till June 5.