Updated on Monday, December 22, 2008, 00:00 IST

New Delhi, Dec 22: For the first time, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has released an annual report of its humanitarian activities to convey that its "efforts are as large as Christians missionaries across the country".

The report include efforts to consolidate 198 Hindu charitable trusts from 41 prants (region) for which VHP's sewa vibhag (social work division) will now act as the apex body.

The trusts run tribal hostels, orphanages, education activities, disaster relief and adoption centres among others.

"We are identifying all trusts that are Hindu-sponsored and carry out Hindu-centric social activities," sewa vibhag secretary, Madhukar Rao, said.

"We had never believed in publishing annual reports, but we had it published this time to convey the message that our consolidated efforts are as large as the missionaries across the country," he said.

The annual turnover for various activities run under the sewa vibhag had risen from Rs 75 crore in the last two years and it crossed the Rs 77-crore mark this year, Rao added.

VHP General Secretary and fire brand Hindu leader Pravin Togadia calls the initiative an effort to counter "the imperialist mission of Christian conversion".

"Christians and Muslims introduced welfare activities to carry out conversions and jihad. Christians propagate evangelism which means conversion and Muslims divert a part of their charity for jihad," Togadia told a gathering of representatives from several Hindu charitable trusts here on Sunday.

Bureau Report