Tuesday, June 7 2005 15:15 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Welcoming Advani's resignation, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) international secretary Praveen Togadia today (Jun 7, 2005) said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president L K Advani was forced to resign from the post because he "betrayed the nation, patriots and Ram bhaktas" by describing Jinnah as a secular leader.

"Advani has betrayed Hindus by accepting Jinnah as a secular leader.He has betrayed all country men, Ram bhaktas and patriots. If he was a Jinnah devotee, then all this was his deviated character. Now Jinnah's original virtues have come within Advani", Togadia told reporters.

Advani's decision to resign would show an end to Jinnah supporters, he said. Togadia said that the country has never accepted a traitor and Advani was forced to resign following his statements in Pakistan on Jinnah and other issues.

"This is the fate of Jinnah loyalist (Advani). He has never been a Hindu Bhakta, he pretended so. He even rode on a horse wearing clothes like Maharana Pratap. But once the clothes were gone, he is exposed", Togadia said.

He also wanted to know how Advani would face widows whose husbands are dying at the Indo-Pakistan border at the hands of Pakistani soldiers. "He is visiting Pakistan and talking about secularism there", he said.

"This (resignation) is a victory of Ram bhaktas and defeat for Jinnah loyalists", the VHP leader said adding that BJP was relieved now of the attempts to finish it.

Taking a dig at Advani's 'Rath Yatra' for the construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya, he said Advani was now talking about Jinnah, who has been the killer of 10 lakh Hindus. History will forget those who forget history".