President of AntarRashtriya Hindu Parishad Pravin Togadia has claimed that all the mosques built during the Mughal period were made by demolishing temples.
Togadia made the remarks during a programme in the Bilsi area on Sunday evening. The visit was part of his ongoing western Uttar Pradesh tour ahead of the Maha Kumbh next year.
"All the mosques built during the Mughal period were built by demolishing temples," Togadia said, claiming he had seen a list of 12,000 temples that had been demolished to build mosques.
The right-wing leader also raised concerns about the violence against Hindu community members in Bangladesh.
"If the fight (of the protesters) was with the Bangladesh government then why were Hindus killed? There should be such a government in the country which can protect Hindus and give a proper answer," he said.
Ever since the Sheikh Hasina-led Bangladesh government was toppled in August after intense student protests, the Muslim-majority neighbouring country has reported widespread violence against religious minorities, including the Hindu community.
Later, addressing a gathering in Shahjahanpur, Togadia said that Bangladesh became independent due to the valour, blood and sweat of Hindu soldiers.
"If not for our Army, the honour of their daughters would not have been saved. Our brave sons sacrificed their lives to save the honour of the daughters (of Bangladesh)," Togadia said.
"We will not tolerate the insult of Hindus anywhere in the world. Hindus all over the world are in danger," he added.
The Indian Army played a crucial role in the independence of Bangladesh. The Liberation War in 1971 broke after the sudden crackdown at midnight on March 25, 1971, in the erstwhile East Pakistan by the Pakistani troops and ended on December 16.
The same year Pakistan conceded defeat and unconditionally surrendered in Dhaka to the allied forces comprising the freedom fighters and the Indian soldiers.
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