A plot badly cultivated
How Togadia escaped is a matter that needs significant investigation, more so because the elections are not far
It is the Bharatiya Janat a Party’s (BJP’s) worst-kept secret that Na rend ra Mo di and Pr a vin Toga di a of the Vishwa Hindu Paris had (VHP) enjoy an ambivalent relationship. The two were the best of friends at one time, with Toga di a boa sting in 2002 that :“Narendrabhai is riding the horse, but the reins are in my hand.”
During Mo di’ s second term as chief minister of Gujarat(2002-07), therewas nothing private about Toga di a’ s ambitions .“I was offered chief minister ship of Gujarat twice by the sangh parivar,” he declared once, revealing that plans were afoot to create a political formation to “take care” of the interests of the Hindus. This because the B JP had become a “B-team of the Congress”.
During Mo di’ s chief ministership, the Gujarat VHP tried to launch a movement around the trishul— encouraging the Hindus to carry a miniature like a Sikhkripan. It found no resonance in Gujarat because Mo di didn’ t want any parallel Hindu structures— and Togadia had to goto Raj as than to popularise it. The Rajasthan Police’ s current quest is likely related to his activities once he had been virtually extern ed from Gujarat.
V HP supporters used to fl aunt their connections with the Gujarat government and offer their services to investors in Gujarat for a small fee. This was tolerated during the reign of K es hub hai Pa tel but once Mo di came to power, they found themselves cut out of all government deals.
As Mo di’ s second term wound down and the 2007 assembly elections approached, Togadia said at a press conference the V HP would not support the B JP in the assembly elections. He also said :“No one should consider himself the most powerful person and ruling over the heart soft he people.” Modi had disturbed a significant interest group. Inthestate, corruption went down visibly but the V HP became afirm, implacable enemy.
Modi is more than familiar with the lifestyle of VHP leaders and how it is supported. There was a time during previous BJP regimes that VHP workers’ salaries used to be paid out of Gujarat government funds.
All that stopped. Toga di a’ s complaints to the RS S leadership that the activities of his organisation were being emasculated found little traction. Instead, VHP chief Ashok Sing hal made light of the differences between Mo di and the V HP and played down Toga di a’ s high decibel campaign.
Bu tap lotto kill Toga di a? Surely not.
Despite Z category security, why exactly Togadia slipped out for “a few minutes” in the company of a “bearded man”, got into an auto, and disappeared is a matter that needs significant investigation, especially as the Rajasthan police were hot on his heels. What we do know is that when last time Togadia was in jail, during the Ramjanmabhoomi movement, while being a servant of the Hindu cause, he had begged colleagues and friends to get him out of prison as soon as possible because he “couldn’t stand it”.
Although his current problems relate to the state government, given that the general elections are not far and the B JP will need the support of every member of the sang hf a mi ly to win them, how the “plot” to “kill” Togadia is defused remains to be seen.