Gandhinagar: In a fiery address during a grand ‘Unity March’ held to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh ignited a major political flashpoint by alleging that India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, once considered allocating public money for the construction of the Babri Masjid. Singh asserted that it was Patel’s strong intervention that prevented the move, calling the late leader a “protector of national integrity and true secularism.”
Addressing thousands gathered for the commemorative march, Singh refrained from naming any political party directly but accused “certain powerful forces” of consistently trying to diminish Sardar Patel’s position in history. He contrasted this with what he described as the “restoration” of Patel’s legacy under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“Pandit Nehru wanted to build the Babri Masjid using public funds. But Sardar Patel — a son of Gujarat and a symbol of resolve — firmly opposed the idea. He made sure that no government money was used for it,” Singh said, triggering loud applause from supporters.
The Defence Minister also invoked Patel’s role in the reconstruction of Gujarat’s iconic Somnath Temple, recalling how Nehru had expressed concern over the plan. According to Singh, Patel categorically clarified that the entire renovation – amounting to nearly Rs 30 lakh at the time – was funded solely by public donations, not by the state.
Emphasising what he called “true secular governance,” Singh drew parallels with the recently completed Ram Temple in Ayodhya, stating that not “a single rupee from the government” was spent on its construction. “The people of this nation built the Ram Temple — every brick carries the devotion of citizens. This is real secularism,” he added.
