Andhra Pradesh becomes the launchpad for VHP’s ‘Hindus First, Caste Next’ campaign due to its diverse caste dynamics and historical religious tensions. The campaign aims to foster Hindu unity, counter conversion efforts, and address caste divides. Andhra’s socio-political climate and significant Hindu population make it a strategic choice for this initiative.
The nationwide movement will kick off in Andhra Pradesh, with a focus on restoring temple autonomy and protecting Hindu traditions from political interference.
In what could be termed as a counter to Congress’ campaign for caste census, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, is coming out with its own movement – Hindus first, caste next.
The central theme of the VHP’s campaign for emancipation of temples from the control of the state governments, is to foster a feeling of oneness among all Hindus. The campaign is giving a call to all sections of Hindus to break free from caste considerations.
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad wants ‘caste’ to remain inside the four walls of our homes. “Once we are out, we are all Hindus,” they say. The organisers say that the movement transcends the narrow confines of castes and regions as it aims to bring together all Hindus under one roof.
VHP organising general secretary Milind Parande, speaking to media persons recently, let out the political element in the campaign. He said that the temple movement would be beyond considerations of caste and region unlike Congress leader Rahul Gandhi who continues to insist that there has to be a caste census, which only drives a wedge among the Hindus on caste lines.
The VHP will kick off this campaign – Hyndava Sankahravam (battle-cry of Hinduism) to unite Hindus not by caste, but by religion, at Kesarapalli near Vijayawada Airport in erstwhile Krishna District on 5 January. The organisers expect that the turnout would be in lakhs.
Campaign to kick off in Andhra Pradesh
Though it is a nation-wide campaign taking birth in a village in Andhra Pradesh, the organisers seem keen on making big-bang impression in the state first before taking it forward beyond the Andhra Pradesh borders.
It appears the VHP chose Andhra Pradesh to kick-start the campaign, as the BJP to whose family it belongs, is very weak with less than two percent votes.
It is common knowledge that the Telugu Desam Party and the Jana Sena had teamed up with the BJP in the recent elections as it is a national party and the two regional parties had political compulsions to align with it. With the help of the two parties, the BJP could win eight Assembly and four Lok Sabha seats.
Now the VHP, apparently to help the BJP’s prospects brighten in Andhra Pradesh, has decided to launch the movement to rally the Hindus under its banner.
In fact, Haindava Sankharam, the name given to the campaign, has a distant echo in sanatana dharma parirakshana call given by Jana Sena chief and deputy chief minister Pawan Kalyan. He gave the call in the wake of the allegations that the sacred Tirupati Laddu was made with ghee that had animal fat in it, during the previous YSRCP regime.
In fact Pawan Kalyan is not just an ally of the BJP, but he sometimes appears as if he is part of it, by the way he goes about supporting the saffron party.
One representative of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), speaking to #hydkhabar, explained: “We have moved Hindus in all parts of India with the Jai Sriram slogan and finally succeeded in ensuring that Ram Mandir came up in Ayodhya. We will once again work with the same spirit and dedication to free temples from the hold of the governments. Let the Hindus run the temples and not the governments.”
Call for Hindus to manage the temples
The VHP believes that only when the temples are managed by Hindus, the traditions followed would be in adherence to dharma. This way the shrines will have unalloyed sanctity.
The organisers are going about promoting the campaign with mouth to mouth publicity. They have dispensed with pamphlets and other means of communication.
Setting the tone for the inaugural of Haindava Sankharavam, the VHP had announced the “Praja Melukolupu” campaign on 26 December. Prior to that, on 30 September, the VHP along with several Hindu organisations, made representations to governors of their respective states for initiation of steps for freeing temples from the control of the governments and allow hindus to manage their own temples
Across the country, temples are managed by the endowment departments of state governments, with trust boards often consisting of individuals loyal to those in power. This has led to the covert intrusion of politics into temples, which are meant to remain sacred and free from external influences.
The VHP asserts that freeing temples from the state’s control would stop the practice of appointing non-Hindus in temple administration, preserving the integrity of Hindu dharma and allowing Hindus to manage their own temples.
VHP Organising General Secretary Milind Parande recently stated that it is high time state governments relinquish control over temples and their daily management.
The campaign that will begin on 5 January, will be led by sadhus and those who are in the vanguard of the movement for the protection of Hinduism.
He questioned why temples should remain under state control when places of worship of other religions are managed by their respective communities, as per Articles 12, 25, and 26 of the Indian Constitution.
Despite directions from the High Courts and the Supreme Court, he noted, governments continue to assert control over temples and seize their properties.
Hinting at the political dimension of the campaign, he emphasised that it transcends caste and regional divisions, unlike Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s insistence on a caste census, which he believes only deepens divisions within the Hindu community.
Haindava Sankharavam convenor and VHP Andhra Pradesh secretary T S Ravi Kumar told #hydkhabar that it was an attempt to protect Hinduism. “Though it is now 77 years since we obtained our independence, the temples are yet to be freed from the yoke of the governments. It is only Hinduism that had this stroke of bad luck.”
Those who grace the Haindava Sankharavam will include swamjis, mathajis, representatives of Kendriya Sanghantan and Gurudev Maharaj of Rama Janma Trust. The conclave will demand removal of those belonging to different faiths from the temple administration and stem the rising trend of commercialism.
The speakers are expected to dwell on attacks on Hindus, temples and traditions of the Hindu dharma. The conference will give a call to resist these trends. The sabha will also discuss the attacks on Hindus under political instigation, booking of cases against Hindus who are victims in such attacks. The sabha will strive to promote an awareness to build a society beyond the divisive forces of caste and region.
The main demands of Haindava Sankharavam:
- Free temples from the hold of government and develop them into truly autonomous institutions
- Sacking all non-Hindus working in temples
- Even for outsourcing work, only Hindus should be appointed
- The shop near the temples should be allotted to Hindus only
- All the properties of the temples encroached should be reclaimed.
- All temples should be handed over Hindu organisations in pursuance of Articles 12, 25, 26 of the Indian Constitution.
- There should be no government interference in the management of the temple properties of their income
- Political parties under the garb of secularism should not interfere in the affairs of the temples.
- The income that is generated by temples should be used for propagation of Hindu Dharma and for service activities.
- Stringent action should be taken against those who attack the temples.
- The Temple trust boards should have non-political Hindus as members.
In the push to free temples from state government control, an important consideration is the fate of smaller temples with little or no income.
In Andhra Pradesh, major temples like Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, Vijayawada Kanaka Durga, Srisaila Mallikarjuna, and Simhachala Narasimha Swamy generate substantial income. These temples would face no issues even if freed from government control due to their significant revenue.
But, in North India, several temples have very little income. If all temples become autonomous, the small temples which have low income would suffer without government support.
In Andhra Pradesh too, there are about 25,000 of the total 33,871 temples, under the control of the Endowments Department, which have poor income. These temples do not have lands to ensure a steady income. The daily collections would not be sufficient even to meet daily maintenance requirements. About 32,000 temples have annual income less than ₹50,000. #hydkhabar
About The Author
Siddharth Anand 
Ahssanuddin Haseeb