Religious leaders, VHP to discuss key Hindu issues at Kumbh Mela

VHP’s meetings will address issues such as temple control, population imbalance, and unity.

New Delhu: At the ongoing Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has announced a series of four-day events aimed at fostering dialogue among saints and spiritual leaders. 
On January 24, 2025, the Central Margdarshak Mandal meeting will take place which is considered to be the most important gatherings. This meeting will bring together prominent saints to discuss key issues.

On January 25, the Women Saints Conference will be held, followed by the Saints Conference on January 26, and the Young Saints Conference on January 27.

Key topics to be discussed include the freeing of temples from government control, Hindu claims over disputed monuments such as the Sambhal Mosque and Ajmer Dargah, population imbalance, the Uniform Civil Code, the targeting of minorities in Bangladesh, and religious conversions.

VHP Joint General Secretary Dr Surendra Jain, speaking to The Sunday Guardian, said, “The saints participating in the Margdarshak Mandal Baithak will bring forward their own concerns, which will be addressed during the meetings. Among the four days, the Margdarshak meeting on January 24 and the Sant Sammelan on January 26 are expected to be the most crucial.”

Regarding the number of saints and their agendas, Jain said, “We cannot give the numbers, but there will be prominent saints from across the country who will sitting together and raise their issues. Key agendas include the targeting of minorities in Bangladesh, freeing Hindu temples from government control, religious conversions, population imbalance, and the Uniform Civil Code. Other issues raised by the saints will also be discussed.”

Another significant issue likely to be raised at these gatherings, which will include saints from Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, is unity among Hindus. Jain emphasised, “The opposition, under the guise of secularism, continues to demean Hindu culture. There will be discussions on how to strengthen Hindu unity in society.”

Sources suggest that the meetings will also touch upon Hindu claims over disputed monuments such as the Sambhal Mosque and Ajmer Dargah. These discussions have sparked new political controversies, with critics accusing political parties of revisiting historical disputes to create polarisation for electoral gains.

In recent months, several petitions have been filed by Hindu representatives asserting claims over the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, and the Ajmer Sharif Dargah in Rajasthan. Tensions escalated in Sambhal during a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid on November 24 last year, leading to clashes and violence that resulted in five deaths.

Following these developments, the Supreme Court has stayed proceedings on these petitions.

Notably, RSS chief Dr. Mohan Bhagwat expressed concern last year over the resurgence of temple-mosque disputes, urging people not to stir up such issues. He stated that no one would become a “leader of Hindus” by fanning communal divides.