'Modi trying to break VHP for power'

Accusing Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi of trying to break the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), several sadhus owing allegiance to the VHP today said "Modi will not hesitate to sacrifice a Hindu outfit to cling on to power."

Accusing Modi of "building his image at the cost of Hindutva and Hindus" VHP sadhu Chaitanyadas Maharaj said, "It was the Sangh Parivar which had helped the BJP come to power in Gujarat after the 2002 communal riots."

He said the units of the Sangh had helped the BJP in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections.

"After Modi came to power we felt he will take the Sangh along, be it solving the problems of Hindus in Gujarat, guarding ashrams and temples or banning cow-slaughter."

"But since the last five years of his rule, the chief minister has not done much, except promote his personal image," Chaitanyadas told reporters in the presence of other VHP sadhus.

"He first broke the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) when its leader Lalji Patel sat on a fast unto death against his government and anti-farmer policies," he said. "He is trying to bifurcate the VHP now," he alleged.

"Modi, who never had time to meet his own party MLAs was now personally inviting VHP workers to his home and meeting them," he said.