Ashok Singhal

Ashok Singhal
Born (1926-09-15)15 September 1926
Agra, United Provinces, British India
Died 17 November 2015(2015-11-17) (aged 89)
Gurgaon, Haryana, India
Nationality Indian
Alma mater BHU
Occupation Leader of Vishva Hindu Parishad
Awards Dharmashree Award

Ashok Singhal (15 September 1926 – 17 November 2015) was the international working president of the Hindu organisation Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) for over 20 years and in charge of the Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi movement.[1] He was replaced in the VHP in December 2011 following a long bout of diminishing physical health.[2] Succeeded by Praveen Togadia, Singhal suffered ill-health but was working till a month before his death.[3]

Life

Singhal was born in Agra. His father was a government official.[4] He was elder brother of BP Singhal, former DGP, UP Police and BJP Rajya Sabha MP. Singhal received a bachelor's degree in Metallurgical Engineering from the Benaras Hindu University Institute of Technology in 1950.[5]

Singhal was a trained vocalist in Hindustani music. He studied under Pandit Omkarnath Thakur.[6]

He died on 17 November 2015 at Medanta Medicity hospital in Gurgaon, aged 89. On 1 October 2015, the book Hindutva Ke Purodha was released and officially launched by the Home Minister of India, Shri Rajnath Singh. The book describes all dedications to his political party and India. This was written by Mahesh Bhagchandaka. [7]

Career

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh

Ashok singhal joined Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in 1942 under tutelage of Balasaheb Deoras.After obtaining a degree in Engineering, he opted to become a full-time pracharak. He worked in various locations around Uttar Pradesh, becoming a prant pracharak for Delhi and Haryana.In 1980, he was deputed to the VHP, becoming its joint general secretary. In 1984, he became its general secretary and, later, the working president, a role in which he continued till 2011.[6]

Vishva Hindu Parishad

After the Meenakshipuram conversions in 1981, Singhal moved to the VHP as the joint general secretary. After noting the main grievance of the Dalit communities in the area as being access to temples, VHP built 200 temples specifically for Dalits. He says that the conversions stopped afterwards.[5]

Singhal was a key organiser of the first VHP Dharma Sansad in 1984 held at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi, attracting hundreds of sadhus and Hindu notables to discuss the issues of rejuvenating Hinduism. The movement for reclaiming the Ramjanmabhoomi temple was born here.[4] Singhal soon became the chief architect of the Ramjanmabhoomi movement.

Fast unto death & Force Feeding

During the tenure of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee (1998-2004) and Ashok Singhal, the pair fell out when Ashok Singhal felt that NDA Government of Vajpayee was not taking any further steps in building Ram Mandir.[8]

Ashok Singhal then went on fast unto death on the demand of the construction of Ram Mandir at Ayodhya. He was "Force Fed" on the orders of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. This saddened Ashok Singhal and badly affected once good relations of Singhal and Vajpayee for the rest of his life.[9]

Controversial Statement

Ashok Singhal was right wing Hindu and openly promoted his views. In every public meeting after 1989, wherever he gave speech, there was definitely talks of Hindu and of Hindu's interest."[10]

References

  1. ↑ Seetapati, Vinay (26 June 2016). "Personal doctor says Narasimha Rao's reaction to Babri demolition was honest agitation". The Indian Express. Retrieved 12 June 2017.
  2. ↑ "Veteran VHP leader Ashok Singhal replaced as VHP Int.president". Kochi: Indian Express. Press Trust of India. 20 December 2011. Retrieved 2012-03-26.
  3. ↑ Ramaseshan, Radhika (20 December 2011). "Change in VHP sweet for Sangh". Kolkata: The Telegraph. Retrieved 2012-03-26.
  4. 1 2 Pokharel, Krishna; Beckett, Paul. "Ayodhya: The Battle for India's Soul" (PDF). The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2014-09-03.
  5. 1 2 "Gau Bhakti will lead to good governance, Ashok Singhal". DNA India. 1 Sep 2013. Retrieved 2014-09-01.
  6. 1 2 "Band of Brothers". Express India. 17 Mar 2002. Archived from the original on 3 September 2014. Retrieved 2014-09-03.
  7. ↑ "Hidutva ke Purodha". 1 October 2015. Retrieved 17 August 2017.
  8. ↑ "राम मंदिर के लिए सिंघल ने किया था अनशन, अटल के आदेश पर हुई थी फोर्स फीडिंग". 2015-11-17. Retrieved 2016-09-27.
  9. ↑ "अशोक सिंघल के जीवन से जुड़ी खास बातें जिन्हें आप जानना चाहेंगे". Retrieved 2016-09-27.
  10. ↑ "जानिए कौन थे अशोक सिंघल, राम जन्मभूमि आंदोलन में निभाई थी अहम भूमिका - Haribhoomi | DailyHunt". Retrieved 2016-09-27.

Bibliography

  • Jaffrelot, Christophe (1996). The Hindu Nationalist Movement and Indian Politics. C. Hurst & Co. Publishers. ISBN 978-1850653011.
  • Katju, Manjari (2013). Vishva Hindu Parishad and Indian Politics. Orient Blackswan. ISBN 81-250-2476-X.
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