The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) has launched an extensive campaign to distribute tridents across Delhi, with plans to hand out over 50,000 of the symbolic weapons before the upcoming Delhi assembly elections, although the VHP denies any political motives, The Wire reported.
Already, 7,000 to 8,000 tridents have been distributed since the campaign’s inception on December 15, and future events are scheduled, including one on January 19. The trident distribution, a part of the VHP’s ‘Trishul Diksha Samaroh,’ has sparked discussions regarding its connection to the elections.
The campaign, which is also seen as a recruitment drive for the Bajrang Dal, VHP’s youth wing, encourages participants to register via WhatsApp and receive the weapon. While VHP leaders claim that the tridents are a longstanding part of their tradition, distributed once every five to ten years, the timing of the current campaign has raised questions. VHP officials assert that the tridents are being distributed as part of an ongoing initiative, unrelated to the elections.
The VHP’s tridents are designed to circumvent the Arms Act, making them legal for distribution. In the past, the VHP has conducted similar ceremonies, but the current distribution marks a significant resurgence, as the last known event took place in the 2010s.
One of the core themes of the event is the protection of Hindu society, with rhetoric focused on the identification and expulsion of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants. The VHP has also extended support to Delhi’s lieutenant governor in this initiative, claiming that hundreds of Bajrang Dal workers are ready to assist in identifying and removing such infiltrators. The VHP’s central leaders, including Surendra Jain, have voiced their concern over the seriousness of the administration’s follow-up on this issue.
While the VHP’s stated purpose is the spiritual and cultural importance of the trident, the underlying political context cannot be ignored. The VHP’s campaign has aligned closely with issues that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has championed, such as concerns over "Bangladeshi infiltrators" and the protection of Hindu culture.
The use of slogans from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s previous electoral campaigns further fuels speculation about the potential electoral motivations behind the distribution.