New Delhi: Ignoring appeals for restraint, VHP (Vishwa Hindu Parishad) on October 22 intensified its attack on the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and Principal Secretary Brajesh Mishra, accusing them of creating a gulf between the government and the Sangh Parivar outfit and "spoiling" the Prime Minister's image.

VHP international president Ashok Singhal alleged that during the Shiladaan programme in Ayodhya in March 2002, the PMO enforced a crackdown on the holy township without Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's knowledge "spoiling" his image and "creating a gulf" between the government and the VHP.

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Singhal claimed that even Home Minister L K Advani and his Ministry had no knowledge about it and cited Minister of State for Home I D Swami as having conveyed this to him.

"I know the Prime Minister's sentiments, for 15 days, orders on enforcement of crackdown in Ayodhya were issued by the PMO and the Prime Minister was unaware. Brajesh Mishra was responsible for it," he alleged.

Stating that he was unable to say whether it was done deliberately or not, Singhal said, "He (Vajpayee) should punish those responsible for creating the gulf" to improve his image.

He, however, left it to Vajpayee to decide on what to do.

"We want that the gulf should be done away with. But till these officers are there, it will not happen," he said.

Describing Ayodhya as a "sensitive" issue, Singhal said VHP wanted it to be resolved soon and that its leaders had sat with Shankaracharya to work in this direction.

PTI