Mangaluru: The Hindu Mahasabha had played a key role in the independence struggle and had lost around 72,000 members during the movement, Akhila Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha (BHM) national president Chandra Prakash Kaushik said here on Monday.

Kaushik claimed that the Mahasabha could create fear in the British through their struggle. The organisation lost 72,000 members in the struggle and 64,000 members were imprisoned, he told reporters here.

ABHM vice-president of the Sabha Rajesh Ranjan, who was also present, said the objective of the organisation was to protect the ancient Hindu culture and not to chase people of other religions out of the country.

He said they had no connection with the RSS at present due to differences on ideology.

Ambika Nayak has been elected as the new state president of ABHM and Shravan Kumar was chosen as vice president, he said.

District president Naveen Kumar, vice president Chetan Mallya, secretary NP Shenoy among others were present.