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Praveen Togadia calls off fast citing health issues

Togadia had begun an indefinite fast on Tuesday to press for his demands
Last Updated 19 April 2018, 11:58 IST

Former Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Pravin Togadia, who began an indefinite fast on Tuesday to press for his demands, called it off on Thursday citing health issues.

Togadia, who has been demanding a law to facilitate the construction of a Ram Temple in Ayodhya, saw deterioration in his health and called off his fast after several religious heads insisted.

Togadia has lost about three kg in weight and his blood pressure was also on the higher side. Also being a diabetic, he was advised by the medicos present at the venue that if he continued with his fast, his kidney would be affected and he would have to be shifted to a hospital.

“I am calling off my fast on the insistence of saints. Also as the saints have ordered me, I take resolve to work for the welfare of Hindus,” Togadia said after breaking his fast.

“I will work to make distressed farmers be debt-free, employment for youth and welfare of women are my key demands.”

He said that there were more than a crore vacancies across various states which should be immediately filled.

Talking to mediapersons, Togadia said that he would now travel across the country to build an alternative to the current dispensation at the Centre. He even went on to advise Prime Minister Narendra Modi that “instead of travelling abroad, please visit homes of people”.

Togadia said that he would now begin his travels across the country by the end of the week and build pressure to fulfil his demands. Other than facilitating the construction of a Ram Temple at Ayodhya, Togadia’s key demands include a ban on cow slaughter, revocation of Article 370 and resettlement of Kashmiri Hindus in Kashmir.

The Shiv Sena sent in a delegation of 20 workers to meet Togadia at the venue of his fast, which has been the VHP headquarters in Gujarat for decades.

Interestingly, none of the BJP or RSS leaders were present on Thursday when Togadia called off his fast.

Though these organisations had tried to convince Togadia from going on a fast till Tuesday afternoon, no one from the BJP or the RSS is said to have established communication with Togadia since.

“Those elected after 2014 have performed worse than those who ruled before 2014. I would work to build an alternative before 2019 that would meet the aspirations of the people,” Togadia added while taking a dig at the Narendra Modi government.

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(Published 19 April 2018, 09:27 IST)

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