India: Aligarh 'Dharma Sansad' to be held in April

 Puja Shakun Pandey

Aligarh (UP), Jan 24 (PTI) The "Dharam Sansad", which was earlier scheduled for January 22 here, will now be held in the first week of April, an organiser said on Monday.

Puja Shakun Pandey, who is the national general secretary of the All-India Hindu Mahasabha, said the decision was taken at a meeting.

"The Dharma Sansad, which was earlier scheduled to be held in Aligarh on January 22, will now be organised in the first week of April. It was postponed due to the Covid pandemic and the state elections," she said.

Pandey also expressed hope that two Hindu leaders who were held for hate speeches at a Dharma Sansad in Haridwar will be released soon.

Pandey said, "We have full confidence in the legal system and the Constitution, and are sure that they will secure bail."

Police had arrested Yati Narsinghanand, the organiser of the Haridwar Dharma Sansad and Jitendra Narayan Tyagi, who was formerly known as Waseem Rizvi and changed his name after converting to Hinduism.

"We stand for the Hinduisation of politics and the militarisation of Hindu society. India can only progress if the religious leaders are allowed to play a role in the political system," she added.

Pandey said their major demands are that "dharma gurus" in every district be appointed as advisers to the government.

She said an appeal was made for the re-election of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

"He is a saint and we would like to ensure that he continues to rule the state," Pandey said.