Modi halts temple demolition drive

Gandhinagar, Nov 22: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has ordered withdrawal of the demolition of unauthorised temples here and elsewhere in the state.

The retraction came after Vishwa Hindu Parishad president Ashok Singhal met the Chief Minister over the issue yesterday. Mr Singhal had compared Mr Modi to emperor Mahmud of Ghazni for razing the temples and said the drive was hurting the sentiments of people. However, Mr Singhal refused to divulge details of the meeting. More than 200 small and medium sized unauthorised temples were pulled down during the last few days in the district on the Chief Minister's order, in a step considered to be taken to acquire a secular image by Narendra Modi in wake of the upcoming elections.

UNI