Congress MP calls Rajnath's claim historically incorrect and politically motivated
A fresh war of words has erupted over India's political history, with Congress MP Manickam Tagore strongly rebutting recent comments made by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The controversy centers on Singh's assertion that India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, intended to use government funds to reconstruct the Babri Masjid—a plan Singh claims was halted by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
Tagore has dismissed these claims entirely, labeling them as factually baseless and a deliberate attempt to twist history. Speaking on Wednesday, the Congress leader emphasised that the relationship between Nehru and Patel was one of mutual respect, contrary to the narratives often spun by political rivals. He clarified that Nehru held a rigid stance regarding the secular nature of public spending. According to Tagore, Nehru was firmly against utilizing taxpayer money for the construction or renovation of any religious structure, be it a temple, mosque, church, or gurudwara.
Taking to social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Manickam Tagore challenged the Defence Minister to produce any proof to back his statement. He argued that there is absolutely no archival evidence or official documentation to support the idea that Nehru wanted to fund the Babri Masjid's reconstruction. To bolster his argument, Tagore pointed to the historical precedent of the Somnath Temple. He noted that if Nehru was opposed to using state funds for the Somnath Temple—a site of immense reverence—it defies logic to suggest he would propose state funding for the Babri Masjid.
The Congress MP accused the BJP leadership of trying to "rewrite the past to divide the present." He alleged that the ruling party’s strategy involves fabricating stories and insulting the nation's founding fathers to fuel polarization among voters. "The claim collapses under basic logic," Tagore stated, asserting that the party would not allow the legacies of Nehru and Patel to be distorted by those he termed "followers of Godse."
The reaction came a day after Rajnath Singh addressed the 'Sardar Sabha' in Vadodara, Gujarat. During the event, which was part of the 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Sardar Patel, Singh claimed that Patel was the true secularist who stopped Nehru from "appeasement." Singh stated that while the Somnath Temple was rebuilt through a public trust and donations, Nehru had allegedly pushed for government spending on the Babri issue, a move Singh claims Patel successfully blocked.
