Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday claimed that India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, had sought to use public funds to build the Babri Masjid, but it was Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel who opposed the plan. Singh made the remarks while addressing a ‘Unity March’ in Gujarat, commemorating Sardar Patel’s 150th birth anniversary.
Without naming any specific political party, Singh also alleged that certain forces had tried to erase Patel’s legacy over time.
He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for restoring Patel’s position as a “shining star in the annals of history,” highlighting Modi’s role in commemorating and popularising Patel’s contributions to the nation.
"Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru wanted to build the Babri Masjid using public funds. If anyone opposed this proposal, it was Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, born to a Gujarati mother. He didn't allow the Babri Masjid to be built using public funds," Singh said.
The minister also drew attention to Patel’s approach toward temple restoration, citing the Somnath Temple in Gujarat. He said that when Nehru raised concerns about restoring the temple, Patel clarified that the Rs 30 lakh required for its renovation had been donated entirely by the public.
“A trust had been established, and not a single penny of the government’s money had been spent on this work. Similarly, the government didn’t give a single rupee to construct the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. The entire cost was borne by the people of the country. This is called real secularism,” Singh added.
Nehru’s Congress presidency and Patel’s withdrawal
Singh further alleged that Nehru became Congress president in 1946 only after Patel withdrew his nomination on Mahatma Gandhi’s advice.
“In 1946, the Congress president was to be elected. A majority of the committee members had proposed Patel’s name. When Gandhiji asked him to allow Nehru to assume the presidency and withdraw his nomination, he immediately did so,” he said.
