The United States’ CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) has listed Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal as religious militant organisations in its annual World Factbook.
“This came to our notice a few days ago. We are consulting experts and seeking legal advice to counter this,” Manoj Verma, national convenor, Bajrang Dal was quoted as saying by The Print.
The two organisations have been named as militant outfits under the tag ‘Political pressure groups and leaders’. Under the same heading, the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) has been classified as a nationalist organisation, The Print reported.
The publication also listed the All Parties Hurriyat Conference in Kashmir Valley as a “separatist group” and the Jamiat Ulema-e Hind as a “religious organisation”.
The Factbook contains almanac-style information related to all the countries and is prepared by the CIA for US government officials’ use.