he Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) is preparing to roll out a nine-day nationwide initiative starting August 16 to commemorate its 61st foundation day. The campaign will emphasise cultural nationalism and the propagation of Hindutva values across the country.
As part of the drive, the VHP has planned activities at over 1 lakh locations throughout India. The schedule will include spiritual gatherings such as satsangs, religious discourses, early morning processions (Prabhat Pheris), and elaborate Shobha Yatras. Nearly 90,000 local committees are expected to coordinate these events.
Speaking to mediapersons here on Friday, VHP national spokesperson Vinod Bansal said the primary aim is to bring the Hindu community together through shared cultural values. “This campaign aims to deepen our presence across the country—from major cities to remote villages,” he said.
In Uttar Pradesh alone, the organisation plans to host events at more than 8,000 locations, including the religiously significant cities of Ayodhya, Kashi (Varanasi), and Mathura. These programmes will be customised according to local traditions and cultural contexts to enhance community engagement.
Bansal also shared that the campaign’s outreach will go beyond Hindu temples, extending to Buddhist monasteries, Jain temples, and Sikh gurdwaras. Communities like the Ravidasia and Valmiki Dalit groups are also expected to be actively involved.
A major focus of the campaign will be to inform people about topics such as religious conversions, “love jihad,” and “spit jihad.” At the same time, the initiative seeks to promote social unity by moving beyond caste and linguistic divisions.
Experts see the campaign as part of a larger effort to solidify the VHP’s grassroots presence and reinforce its ideological ties with the BJP. It may also serve to gauge public sentiment, build organisational strength for future political developments, and provide a counter-narrative to caste-based political discourse.
This story was originally published in thestatesman.com.
