New Delhi: Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) president Alok Kumar on Saturday said the violent protests that erupted in Ladakh earlier this week might be a “rehearsal” to create Bangladesh and Nepal-like situations in India, and stressed the need to remain cautious against any such attempt.

He, however, sought to underscore India’s “tradition of democratic tolerance” as its strength and said that the situation in the country is different from that of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal.

There is no “pent-up fear” in India, the VHP chief said, adding that anyone is free to express his or her views and even protest in the country.

Kumar made the remarks at a press conference here when asked if the Ladakh protest was an attempt to create Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal-like situations in India and if external forces were behind it.

“I find your point to be true. In our country, a prominent opposition leader holding a constitutional position even made such an appeal to the Gen Z of India,” he said in a veiled reference to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s recent remarks.

“So what happened in Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh in a short time and a rehearsal of which was done in Ladakh, there might be an attempt to enforce that in Bharat also,” he said, adding, “caution must be exercised about that”.

Unlike those countries, however, India has a tradition of democratic tolerance, the VHP chief said.

“There’s every opportunity for anyone to express their opinion and protest. So I don’t think there is any pent-up fear or such feeling in the country,” he added.

On Wednesday, four people were killed in police firing and scores of others were injured when a protest for statehood for Ladakh turned violent.

Ladakh Director General of Police S D Singh Jamwal on Saturday said forces were compelled to open fire on protesters, else the entire Leh would have been burned to the ground.

The violence that took place in the Union Territory’s capital was without precedent, he said, and blamed “vested interests” and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk for it.

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