Thu Dec 26 15:15:48 UTC 2024: ## VHP Leader Claims Temple Disputes Would Be Resolved if Hindus Had Kashi and Mathura

**New Delhi, December 26, 2024** – A top Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader has asserted that many current temple-mosque disputes would not exist if the temples in Mathura and Kashi had been handed over to the Hindu community, similar to the Ayodhya temple. Milind Parande, the VHP’s organising general secretary, made this statement on the sidelines of a campaign launch aimed at liberating Hindu temples from government control.

Parande’s comments follow recent statements by Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat expressing concern over the resurgence of such disputes and cautioning against using religious issues for political gain. Parande countered that Bhagwat’s statement was misinterpreted, citing Bhagwat’s earlier view that resolving the Kashi, Mathura, and Ayodhya temple issues would end the disputes.

The RSS’s English mouthpiece, Organiser, took a contrasting stance, publishing an editorial arguing for exploring the history of disputed sites for “civilizational justice.” The editorial highlighted the ongoing dispute at the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, where recent riots resulted in five deaths, claiming a temple previously stood on the same site. The Organiser advocated for a truthful approach to resolving religious conflicts, emphasizing the need for reconciliation and a just resolution.

Bhagwat himself recently warned against disrespecting other religions’ deities and urged India to remain inclusive on its path to becoming a “Vishwaguru” (world leader), emphasizing that using the Ayodhya Ram Temple issue for political gain is unacceptable.

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