[7] The VHP has been criticised for contributing to violence against Muslims in India, most notably for its role in the demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1992 over the Ayodhya dispute.

It was decided at the meeting that the name of the proposed organisation would be "Vishva Hindu Parishad" and that a world convention of Hindus was to be held at Prayag (Allahabad) during the Kumbh Mela of 1966 for its launch.

[17] Golwalkar explained that "all faiths of Indian origins need to unite", saying that the word "Hindu" (people of "Hindustan") also applied to adherents of all the above religions.

[19] The VHP considers Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs[17] as well as native tribal religions[citation needed] as part of the greater Hindu fraternity.

This view was first promoted by Chinmayananda,[12]: 42  and is reflected in the promulgation of VHP organisations in Indo-Caribbean countries Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana and Suriname.

[25] In April 2005, in West Bengal members of 45 tribal families converted to Hinduism from Christianity in a ceremony organised by Akhil Bhartiya Sanatan Santhal, allied to VHP.

[30] On 12 September 2007, the VHP, with the aid of BJP and the Rameswaram Sreeramsetu Surakshaya Manch, had blocked road and rail traffic in Orissa.

Members of the Vahini contend that the portrayal of their group as a branch of the Bajrang Dal is an oversimplification, and that their goals are to "dedicate ourselves to spiritual, physical, mental and knowledge development".

[36] The press release from city council of Holroyd states that Vishva Hindu Parishad is active in supporting multiculturalism in the same region.

The VHP had been aggressively involved in the Ayodhya dispute over the Ram Janmabhoomi, or Babri Masjid before its demolition, since March 1984, after getting encouraged by the strong response it had got from ekatmata yatra programme, it organised in 1983, which was aimed at Hindu unity and self-protection against Islam and Christianity.

This activity in the Ayodhya issue involved demonstrations, petitions and litigation, along with militant processions, forceful conversion ceremonies and incidents of violence and vandalism, particularly targeting Muslims.

According to the VHP and its affiliated organisations, the Babri Mosque was built by demolishing the temple at the birthplace of Rama (Ram Janmabhoomi) by the Mughal Emperor Babur in early 16th century.

[46][47][48][49] In 1989, the VHP, keeping in view the impending Loksabha elections, organised a massive movement to start the construction of a Ram temple at the disputed site.

VHP joint general secretary Surendra Jain alleged that the church was built "for the purpose of aggressive conversion" and likened its destruction to the violence of the 1857 war which he claimed "was fought for the cause of religion".

[53] On 4 June 2018, the VHP was classified as a militant religious organisation by the CIA in its World Factbook's entry for India,[54] under the category of political pressure groups, along with Bajrang Dal.

[59] In doing so, several activists of VHP or affiliated groups violently targeted Muslims living in slums and small tenements and shanties, with some of those attacked include illegal Bangladeshis.

The VHP leader, Pravin Togadia, was arrested in April 2003 after distributing tridents to Bajrang Dal activists in Ajmer, defying a ban and prohibitory orders.

Calling it a western attack on Indian culture, the VHP and Bajrang Dal activists have been accused of threatening and intimidating couples for celebrating Valentines Day.

[63] The family of the victim alleged then that they received threats from Asaram's followers and Vishwa Hindu Parishad activists wanting the charges against him dropped, while also intimidating witnesses and eventually murdering them.

[67] From 2015, Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad have been accused of promoting and indulging in Cow vigilantism, apparently targeting Muslims and lower caste Hindus, mostly Dalits.

[68] Following the Una Flogging incident in Gujarat, where four dalits were brutally thrashed by Bajrang Dal goons and vigilantes when they were skinning dead cow carcasses, the victims converted to Buddhism.

The challenge to release the rapists, which was pending in Supreme Court after a review petition was filed, was dismissed in December 2022, earning criticism from women's safety activists.

[73][74] On 8 January 2024, the Supreme Court bench, led by Justices B.V. Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan, reversed the Gujarat Government's decision and canceled the remission, noting that the convicts were freed erroneously.

[78] Following the Supreme Court's judgement in April 2023 on same sex marriages, the VHP welcomed the decision, calling it a Western attack on Indian culture.

Several activists and leaders threatened resort to violence if clubs, pubs and corporate hotels across Hyderabad did not cancel celebrations for Valentines Day.

[85] The activists instead asked the youngsters to pay tribute to the soldiers and service-members who were killed in the 2019 Pulwama attack, which was perpetrated by Pakistan-based Islamist terrorist[86] group Jaish-e-Mohammed.