VHP sees Narendra Modi as a leader in Sardar Patel's mould

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Vishwa Hindu Parishad ( VHP) today came out in full support of BJP's decision of declaring Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as it's prime ministerial candidate for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Making his outfit's stand clear, VHP çhief patron Ashok Singhal described Modi as "a great leader" who stood for uniting the nation as Sardar Patel did after the Independence.

"Modi is a great leader... He unites the entire country irrespective of caste, religion and linguistic divide. What the nation needs now is the secularism as advocated by Sardar Patel," he told reporters here today.

Singhal charged political parties other than the BJP, with causing "disintegration" by their policy appeasement.

Pitching for the construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya, Singhal said it was Patel who had taken the initiative for re-building the Somnath temple in Gujarat.

Asked about his reaction on Modi virtually skipping the temple issue, the VHP leader said, "He is part of a political party which has declared its stand on the issue."

He also said that the BJP had made it clear that the Ram Janmabhoomi issue was non-negotiable as far the party was concerned.

Singhal came out strongly against the proposed Prevention of Communal Violence Bill, saying that going by its draft, it was a legislation loaded in favour of minority communities.