Rajnath Singh says Nehru wanted to build Babri Masjid with public funds

During the 'Ekta March' held in Sadhali village of Vadodara district in Gujarat on Tuesday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh made several significant claims regarding the country's first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. Addressing a gathering on the occasion of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's 150th birth anniversary, he stated that Nehru wanted to build the Babri Masjid using public funds, but Sardar Patel did not allow this proposal to proceed.

Patel Stopped Nehru's Plan

Rajnath Singh stated that Sardar Patel was a true liberal and a genuine secular leader who did not subscribe to appeasement politics. According to him, "If anyone opposed Nehru's proposal, it was Sardar Patel, who made it clear that this path was not right."

Example of Somnath Temple Renovation

The Defence Minister also stated that Nehru and Patel had completely different views on the reconstruction of the Somnath temple. According to Singh:

• Not a single penny of the government was spent on the renovation of Somnath.
• The required ₹30 lakh was received as donations from the general public.
• An independent trust was formed, which managed the entire work.

He said that similarly, in the construction of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, it is the public's money that has been used, not the government's. Rajnath Singh described this as "true secularism."

Nehru Gave Himself the Bharat Ratna

Rajnath Singh alleged that after Sardar Patel's death, when the public collected funds for his memorial, Nehru asked for that amount to be spent on wells and roads in villages. Singh termed this as "hypocrisy" and said that building wells and roads is the government's own responsibility. The Defence Minister even said, "Nehru gave himself the Bharat Ratna, but why was Sardar Patel not given this honour at the same time?"

PM Modi Restored Patel's True Honour

Rajnath Singh praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Statue of Unity', saying that this is the honour that Patel deserved. He claimed that some people kept trying to hide Patel's legacy, but the BJP government would not let this happen. Rajnath Singh stated that PM Modi's efforts have re-established Sardar Patel as a shining star in the pages of history.