Delhi govt bows to Togadia's CWG threat

Following the threat held out by Praveen Togadia, international general secretary of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad that he would lead massive demonstrations if the Delhi government decided to serve beef to the foreign nationals taking part in the forthcoming Commonwealth Games, Sheila Dixit's government has bowed to Togadia.

On Monday evening, at an emergency cabinet meeting chaired by the chief minister Sheila Dixit it was decided that beef would not be served to any participant or official attending the Commonwealth Games.

Earlier Randhir Singh, general secretary of the IOA, declined to comment on the statement made by Togadia.

In an exclusive conversation with rediff.com Doctor Praveen Togdia, had warned the Indian Olympic Association and the Delhi government headed by Sheila Dixit not to serve beef to the foreign participants and officials who will be reaching New Delhi over six months later to take part in the Commonwealth Games.

Togadia said that if the Delhi government and IOA did not yield to the demand made by VHP then they would have to face the consequences.

"A three-member delegation headed by Om Prakashji of the Delhi unit of the VHP called on Lt. Governor of Delhi, Tejinder Khanna, over a month back and submitted a memorandum to him drawing his attention to the reports appearing in the newspapers that the Delhi government has agreed to allow beaf being served to the foreign nationals attending the Commonwealth Games," he said.

According to him Khanna did not give any positive or negative response.

"We are getting mixed signals," Togadia pointed out.

When asked if he had written letters to either the sports minister Dr M S Gill or Indian Olympic Association President Suresh Kalmadi about this issue, Togadia replied in negative.

"We would like to see the games ending successfully. But serving beef amounts to hatching a consipracy against the Hindus. If any other community had rasied idential issue the government of India would have reacted sharply and taken measures to see to it the voice of other communities are heard on priority basis.

"This is India where the majority community is targetted to please people belonging to different faith. Our local unit in Delhi would be meeting shortly to chalk out how to demonstrate against the decision to allow serving of beef. I am sure that being a pure Hindu my sister Sheila Dixit, who happens to be the chief minister of Delhi government,would not like to become a victim. Woh paap ki bhagidaar nahin ho sakti," Togadia said.