Pravin Togadia alleges conspiracy against him from 'higher up' in BJP

Pravin Togadia

Gandhinagar: VHP leader Pravin Togadia on Friday alleged a conspiracy against him by a "higher up in the BJP" to implicate and jail him in a 1996 murder case by ensuring he did not get the summons issued against him by a court. The Metropolitan Court on Friday cancelled a non-bailable warrant issued against Togadia, the International Working President of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP).

"Today the court cancelled the warrant and I will have to appear to the court whenever the case is taken up. The non-bailable warrant was issued to me because I did not respond to the earlier summons," he said.

"The police did not make those summons available to me. I have received information that this was done purposefully by someone higher up, without the intervention of (state) Home Minister or Chief Minister."

Togadia added: "Just like it happened during the Patidar agitation, when (then Chief Minister) Anandiben Patel said she did not order the lathicharge on agitators, this case is similar.

"(Deputy Chief Minister) Nitin Patel, (Chief Minister) Vijay Rupani wouldn't do that. Why were the summons not made available to me despite my presence in Ahmedabad? Since some time I feel my voice is being gagged. I will later reveal who is behind it all," he added.

In an attempt to murder case of 1996, non-bailable warrants were issued by the Ahmedabad Metropolitan Court against 39 people including Togadia, Babubhai Jamnadas Patel, a BJP leader, and Krishnavadan Bhrahmbhatt, a BJP corporator.

The complainant was former BJP MLA Jagrupsinh Rajput. Rajput contested as BJP candidate from Ahmedabad's Bapunagar constituency last month and lost to Himmatsinh Patel of Congress.

"When there is a clear mandate given to the BJP in the general elections, why they are not fulfilling the poll promises?" Togadia asked. "I have been raising my voice against that and for that my voice is being deliberately gagged."

The 1996 case was registered when then BJP stalwart Shankersinh Vaghela led a revolt in the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Vaghela supporters were then attacked by BJP leaders and loyalists. Vaghela's loyal supporter Atmaram Patel was thrashed.

Recently, the BJP government had requested the Sessions Court to quash the case but the plea was rejected.