​ Pravin Togadia and Narendra Modi: A tale of animosity

AHMEDABAD: The fresh salvo from top VHP official Pravin Togadia at PM Narendra Modi on 'gau raksha' is not surprising considering their long history of animosity. Modi's remarks on 'gau rakshak' has come as fodder for Togadia, kept on the leash by the RSS which has stood firmly behind the PM so far.
Modi, 66, and Togadia, 60, were once synonymous with Hindutva in Gujarat. The two used to attend RSS shakha together in Ahmedabad in the 1980s and were seen as rising hawks at Hedgewar Bhavan in Maninagar, the RSS headquarters in Gujarat.

Many recall the two rode two-wheelers across the state as RSS propagandists. Togadia always rode the motorcycle or scooter with Modi as pillion. Togadia, a cancer surgeon, was drafted into the VHP in 1983. Modi, a full-time pracharak, was inducted into the BJP in 1984. But they remained a pair, always helping each other execute plans which eventually helped the BJP's rise to power in Gujarat in 1995.

With Keshubhai Patel as CM, Modi and Togadia were in the core committee which took important decisions for the government. When the Keshubhai government was rattled by Shankersinh Vaghela's rebellion, they fought against him together. When Vaghela imprisoned Togadia, it was Modi who took to the streets in protest. When the decision to make Modi the Gujarat CM was taken, Union home minister LK Advani had kept Togadia in the loop. Togadia agreed and got his confidant Gordhan Zadaphia inducted as minister of state for home.

The assembly elections in December 2002 saw Togadia address more than 100 BJP rallies. Things changed when Modi won. He dropped Zadaphia in a clear signal to Togadia that his interference in governance was no longer needed. Togadia felt he was used by Modi.

Their relationship came under further strain when, under Supreme Court pressure, the Modi government was forced to reopen riots cases and start arresting VHP and Bajrang Dal workers.

On Modi's instructions, VHP workers, protesting against Advani's praise of Jinnah in Pakistan, were beaten up by cops. The government also demolished nearly 200 temples in Gandhinagar, which provoked Togadia to call him 'Maulana Modi'.

While Ashok Singhal patched up with Modi, Togadia remained opposed to the RSS's endorsement of the Gujarat CM's national ambitions.