Opposing recent attacks on Hindus, including the killing of tailor Kanhaiya Lal in Udaipur, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Saturday organised a massive rally in the heart of national capital Delhi from Mandi House to Jantar Mantar.
The 'Sankalp March' was attended by several thousands of people who raised loud slogans like "Hindu sher jaag gaya hai (Hindu lion has awakned)", "Sharia se na jehad se, desh chalega samvidhan se (The country will be run by the constitution, not by Sharia or Jehad)".
"People are now raising the slogan of ‘sar tan se juda’. Our heads are ready and arms as well," said VHP’s International Working President Alok Kumar.
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A senior police officer earlier said around 7,000 volunteers were expected to participate in the march.
Participants in the march demanded capital punishment for killers of Kanhaiya Lal and also also recited Hanuman Chalisa at Jantar Mantar. There were a large number of minor girls and boys in the crowd who carried saffron flags and raised slogans of Vande Matram.
Marchers also also recited Hanuman Chalisa at Jantar Mantar. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga and Kapil Mishra were also present in the march.
Former North Delhi mayor Avtar Singh said, "Multiple Hindu groups are on the streets today for this 'Sankalp March'. We are here to raise our voice against the attacks on Hindus. They cannot be targeted or attacked in that manner. We won't spare those who target us."
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The Hindu procession ensured that several major roads in the area remained block for long, leading to massive traffic jams.
Several roads in central Delhi were closed temporarily on Saturday due to the VHP march, said Delhi Traffic Police.
VHP releases helplines for 'Hindus under attack'
The Vishva Hindu Parishad's youth wing Bajrang Dal on Friday released helpline numbers for those getting threats from "jihadist forces" over their posts on social media.
The RSS affiliate released 35 helpline numbers on Twitter for various states, calling upon people to approach its youth wing activists if they face any threat or are being victimised.
Of these, six helpline numbers are for Uttar Pradesh; three each for Rajasthan and Gujarat; two each for Maharashtra, Bihar, Odisha, West Bengal and Assam; and one each for Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand.
To cover the southern region, the Bajrang Dal has released two helpline numbers for Karnataka and one each for Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Telangana.
The saffron outfit has released one helpline number to cover Jammu and Kashmir as well as Ladakh.
"Hindus under threat or victimised by jihadist forces may approach our Bajrang Dal (through) helpline numbers or (in-person) in their respective areas," the VHP tweeted, posting a list of the helpline numbers.
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The RSS affiliate had on Wednesday said its youth wing will release helpline numbers for those getting threats from "Islamic fundamentalists" over their posts on social media.
In a video message, VHP joint general secretary Surendra Jain had claimed that efforts were being made to create an atmosphere of terror in the country since the brutal killing of Umesh Kolhe in Maharashtra's Amravati and Kanhaiya Lal at Udaipur in Rajasthan.
