"Spreading false narratives": Congress' Imran Masood slams Rajnath Singh over remarks on Nehru

Speaking to ANI, Masood asked Rajnath Singh to furnish documents regarding his remarks, adding that those in government are spreading false narratives against Nehru.

"He (Rajnath Singh) is in the government; he should provide some documents. We have documents that Sardar Patel wrote a letter against the mentality of their (the BJP's) parental organisation and banned it. It is unfortunate when those in government spread such false narratives in the country," Masood said.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has asserted that former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru wanted to use government funds to build Babri Masjid, but it was the then Home Minister Sadar Vallabhbhai Patel who opposed the idea, as he was "truly secular".

Remembering India's first Home Minister at the 'Sardar Sabha' organised in Gujarat's Vadodara, the Defence Minister said on Tuesday that Patel did not look to appease communities, unlike Nehru, who questioned the reconstruction of Somnath Temple in Gir Somnath district.

"Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was truly secular. He never believed in appeasement. When Jawaharlal Nehru spoke about spending government funds on the Babri Masjid issue, if anyone opposed it, it was one born in Gujarat, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, who opposed it. At that time, he did not allow the Babri Masjid to be built with government money," Rajnath Singh said.

The Defence Minister said that earlier parallels were drawn between the reconstruction of the Gir Somnath temple, but Patel rejected similarities between the two cases, highlighting that the Somnath temple was rebuilt with donations instead of government money.

"Nehru raised the question of the reconstruction of the Somnath Temple. When the question was raised, then Sardar clarified that the Somnath Temple case was different; the public had donated Rs 30 lakh there, a trust had been formed, and not even a single penny of government money was used," Singh said. (ANI)