No provocative slogans made during procession, says VHP

SHILLONG, April 8: The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) has denied making any provocative slogans during the “Shobha Yatra” (procession) taken out in Shillong on April 2.
The VHP also said that it was not the organiser of the Hanuman Jayanti rally, which was scheduled for April 7 but was eventually cancelled.
“VHP celebrated Ram Janam Utsav in Shillong from March 30 to April 1 and was followed by Shobha Yatra on April 2. The fact is that VHP carries out this procession every year and the Hindu devotees participate enthusiastically. The programme was conducted in an orderly manner with full support from the district administration, Superintendent of Police and traffic personnel who escorted the yatra for peaceful completion before the scheduled time,” VHP Meghalaya general secretary Pawan Sancheti said on Saturday.
Stating that the organisation respects the sentiments of all religions and it has high respect for the indigenous people of the state, Sancheti said customary slogans like “Jai Shri Ram” were chanted by the devotees. He claimed that no provocative slogan was made during the procession.
“VHP reiterates its commitment to maintaining religious harmony in the state at all times,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Shri Shri Hanuman Jayanti Utsav Samiti has written to East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner, distancing itself from the VHP in the wake of the controversy arising out of alleged provocative sloganeering.
Referring to media reports where individuals and organisations blamed it for its alleged ill intentions and tagged it with the VHP, the Samiti clarified that it is completely different from the VHP.
“We perform only a single task of Hanuman Jayanti Utsav as a religious celebration for our community. We have no links with the VHP or any other organisation,” Sancheti said.
The Samiti said it has been celebrating the Hanuman Jayanti Utsav for more than 50 years. In the last 51 years, the celebration must have coincided with many festivals of various religions but no inconvenience was caused to others, it added.
The Samiti said it had received permission to take out a procession on the final day of the celebration (April 7) but the order was revoked by the office of the DC. The Samiti said it suffered financial losses and people also could not follow a tradition due to the revocation of the order.
“We are very much a part of this state. We respect the sentiments of the indigenous people who have always supported us and we have been living together in harmony. Such kind of allegations against us hurt our sentiments,” the Samiti said.