New Delhi: The architect of the Ram Janambhoomi temple movement, VHP leader Ashok Singhal, died on Tuesday at Medanta hospital in Gurgaon.
VHP spokesperson Champat Rai said Singhal, who was admitted to Medanta hospital in Gurgaon on November 14 following a chest infection, breathed his last this afternoon.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a condolence message,”Demise of Ashok Singhal ji is a deep personal loss. He was an institution in himself, whose life was centred around serving the nation.”
Singhal?s health condition had remained critical since he was admitted to hospital three days ago.
A galaxy of BJP leaders, including L K Advani, party chief Amit Shah, General Secretary Ram Lal and Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, J P Nadda, Haryana Chief Minister M L Khattar and VHP International Convener Pravin Togadia had visited the hospital to enquire about Singhal’s health.
The mortal remains of Singhal would be brought to the organisation?s office here at RK Puram area at around 2000 hrs, a VHP official said.
The body would be later kept at the RSS office in Jhandewalan for the people to pay their last tributes to the departed leader.
The cremation will be held tomorrow at 1600 hrs at Nigambodh Ghat in the presence of leading figures of the BJP and RSS.
Born in 1926 at Agra, Uttar Pradesh, Singhal, who was international working president of VHP until 2011, came into prominence in 1980s and 1990s during the movement for Ramjanmabhoomi temple.
He was a key organiser of the first VHP Dharma Sansad in 1984 held at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi which attracted hundreds of sadhus and Hindu notables to discuss the issues of rejuvenating Hinduism. Singhal soon became the chief architect of the Ramjanmabhoomi movement.
A bachelor?s degree holder in Metallurgical Engineering from the Banaras Hindu University Institute of Technology, Singhal joined Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in 1942.
In 1980, he became VHP general secretary. (UNI)
