Praveen Togadia is the International General Secretary of the Vishva Hindu Parishad

Vishva Hindu Parishad

' , which is usually known more simply as the VHP, is an international Hindu organization, which was founded in India in 1964. Its slogan is "धर्मो रक्षति रक्षितः Dharmo rakṣati rakṣitaḥ", which is supposed to mean "Dharma protects its protector"...

 (VHP), Hindu

Hindu

Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...

 religious organization. A 'Cancer Surgeon' by profession, he was appointed chief instructor of an RSS

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or National Patriotic Organization), also known the Sangh, is a right-wing Hindu nationalist, paramilitary, volunteer, and allegedly militant organization for Hindu males in India...

 officers training camp in 1979 at the age 22.
Togadia has asserted in online interviews that he does not mandate violence in the Hindutva

Hindutva

Hindutva is the term used to describe movements advocating Hindu nationalism. Members of the movement are called Hindutvavādis.In India, an umbrella organization called the Sangh Parivar champions the concept of Hindutva...

Movement, and stressed that he was not against minorities. He claims that VHP is an international organization which speaks for Hindus. He also claims that the majority of the work concerning the emancipation of the lower castes is not done by Christian Missionaries but by Hindu organizations.

On November 8, 2011 Rediff article, BJP leaders dismissed Togadia's statement on conversion.