<P> But the biggest political disaster hit his government between December 2001 and March 2002: the VHP held the Government hostage in a major standoff in Ayodhya over the Ram temple . At the 10th anniversary of the destruction of the Babri mosque, the VHP wanted to perform a shila daan, or a ceremony laying the foundation stone of the cherished temple at the disputed site . Thousands of VHP activists amassed and threatened to overrun the site and forcibly perform the shila daan . A grave threat of not only communal violence, but an outright breakdown of law and order owing to the defiance of the government by a religious organisation hung over the nation . But to the relief of Vajpayee, the incident ended peacefully with a symbolic handover of a stone at a different location 1 km away from the disputed site . </P> <P> In February 2002, a train filled with Hindu pilgrims returning to Gujarat from Ayodhya stopped in the town of Godhra . A scuffle broke out between Hindu activists and Muslim residents, and amidst uncertain circumstance, the train was set on fire leading to the deaths of 59 people . The charred bodies of the victims were displayed in public in the city of Ahmedabad, and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad called for a statewide strike in Gujarat . These decisions stoked anti-Muslim sentiments . Blaming Muslims for the deaths, rampaging Hindu mobs killed thousands of Muslim men and women, destroying Muslim homes and places of worship . The violence raged for more than two months, and more than 1,000 people died . Gujarat was being ruled by a BJP government, with Narendra Modi as the chief minister . The state government was criticised for mishandling the situation . It was accused of doing little to stop the violence, and even being complicit in encouraging it . </P> <P> Vajpayee reportedly wanted to remove Modi, but was eventually prevailed upon by party members to not act against him . He traveled to Gujarat, visiting Godhra, and Ahmedabad, the site of the most violent riots . He announced financial aid for victims, and urged an end to the violence . While he condemned the violence, he did not chastise Modi directly in public . When asked as to what would be his message to the chief minister in the event of the riots having taking place, Vajpayee responded that Modi must follow raj dharma, Hindi for ethical governance . </P> <P> At the meeting of the BJP national executive in Goa in April 2002, Vajpayee's speech generated controversy for its contents which included him saying: "Wherever Muslims live, they don't like to live in co-existence with others ." The Prime Minister's Office stated that these remarks had been taken out of context . Vajpayee was accused of doing nothing to stop the violence, and later admitted mistakes in handling the events . K.R. Narayanan, then president of India, also blamed Vajpayee's government for failing to quell the violence . After the BJP's defeat in the 2004 general elections, Vajpayee admitted that not removing Modi had been a mistake . </P>

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