VHP may launch political outfit

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad on Wednesday indicated that it would launch a political outfit this year.

"The VHP can establish a forum for providing political protection umbrella to Hindus after Deepawali in November," its general secretary, Praveen Togadia, said Bhilwara, Madhya Pradesh.

Criticising the government's decision to repeal the Prevention of Terrorism Act, he said it was meant to curb terrorism, but the alternative legislation being brought was "aimed against Hindus and UPA's political opponents".

Togadia described the fresh inquiry ordered by Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav into the Godhra train carnage as "anti-democratic".