VHP meeting with retired judges addresses Waqf Board and religious conversions
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A meeting convened by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s (VHP) legal cell that brought together as many as 30 retired Supreme Court and high court judges on Sunday reportedly discussed various issues that affect the Hindu community, including religious conversions, killing of cows and the Waqf Board.
The gathering, attended by Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, focused on a variety of issues, including the legal disputes over the Varanasi and Mathura temples, the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, religious conversions, and the control of temples by the government, The Indian Express reported.
According to the VHP, the event aimed at facilitating an exchange of views between the VHP and retired members of the judiciary, seeking to foster mutual understanding.
The discussions revolved around legal and ideological matters significant to the Sangh Parivar, such as the liberation of temples, nationalism, and Hindutva.
Also touched upon were anti-conversion laws passed by several BJP-ruled states, which are currently under judicial scrutiny, and the Waqf Bill, which has been referred to a Joint Committee of Parliament amid concerns from BJP allies.
The involvement of high-profile figures such as VHP leaders Alok Kumar and Surendra Jain highlighted the importance of the meeting, particularly as some of the Sangh Parivar's ideological priorities, like the disputes surrounding the Kashi Vishwanath-Gyanvapi mosque complex in Varanasi and the Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Masjid Idgah in Mathura, which remain unresolved in the courts.
The gathering marks the first time the VHP has held such an event, with plans to make it a regular occurrence. The legal discussions were seen as a strategic move to pursue judicial solutions to contentious matters, following the 2019 Supreme Court verdict in the Ayodhya case.
The Sangh’s current approach appears to prioritize judicial avenues over ground-level agitation, with a focus on advancing its goals within the legal framework. The VHP indicated that this type of engagement with retired judges could play a role in shaping future legal strategies aligned with its vision of nation-building.