‘Complete lie’: Cong rubbishes Rajnath Singh’s remark on Nehru wanting to build Babri Masjid with public money

Tagore said, “It is a complete lie by Rajnath Singhji. We all know that Pandit Nehru and Sardar Patel had a cordial relationship, and Pandit Nehru’s logic was simple: public money should not be spent on mosques, temples, churches, or gurudwaras. It should be people’s contribution…”

#WATCH | Delhi: On Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s statement on former PM Jawaharlal Nehru, Congress MP Manickam Tagore says, “It is a complete lie by Rajnath Singh ji. We all know that Pandit Nehru and Sardar Patel had a cordial relationship, and Pandit Nehru’s logic was… pic.twitter.com/gZnMOYlx8q

— ANI (@ANI) December 3, 2025

What did Rajnath Singh say?

Singh on Tuesday claimed, “When Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru raised the issue of spending money from the government treasury on the Babri masjid, if anyone opposed this, it was Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, born of a Gujarati mother. And at that time, he did not allow the Babri Masjid to be built with government funds.”

#WATCH | Gujarat: Defence minister Rajnath Singh addressed the ‘Sardar Sabha’ in Vadodara.

He said, “Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was truly secular… When Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru spoke about spending government funds on the Babri Masjid issue, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel opposed it. At… pic.twitter.com/KtRqbmkIzH

— ANI (@ANI) December 3, 2025

Addressing a gathering in Vadodara’s Sadhli village as part of the Rashtriya Ekta Yatra to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Patel, Singh also said when Nehru opposed the renovation of Somnath temple in Gujarat, Patel reminded him that the money was to be spent from a Trust.

Singh said, “Nehru raised the issue of rebuilding the Somnath Temple. When the question of reconstruction was raised, Sardar Patel, in a calm but firm voice, clarified that the Somnath Temple was a different matter. The public has donated lakhs… A Trust has been formed, and not a single paisa of the government’s money has been spent on this project. This was established by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel…”

Congress demands proof of Rajnath Singh’s claim

Reacting to Singh’s statements, several Opposition leaders referred to them as “lies.”

Congress MP Pramod Tiwari, speaking to ANI, expressed that he was deeply hurt by Singh’s statements. “I am only hurt that Rajnath Singh is saying this, maybe he has gotten affected by their party, or is being forced to say such things. Nehru made him (Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel) Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister… Rajnathji, this statement does not go with your history or your personality.”

Congress MP Imran Masood also said, “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 (BJP’s) parental organisation and banned it… It is unfortunate when those in government spread such false narratives in the country.”

#WATCH | Delhi: On Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s statement on former PM Jawaharlal Nehru, Congress MP Imran Masood says, “He 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)… pic.twitter.com/vFjhsqFIvK

— ANI (@ANI) December 3, 2025

Nationalist Congress Party-Sharad Pawar (NCP-SP) MP Fauzia Khan, sharing her views outside the Parliament, said, “If he [Jawaharlal Nehru] wanted to, his intentions were not bad in my opinion. But for the construction of a mosque, funds can only be collected from those who pray there. So what are these people gaining by raising this useless question?”

Congress MP Manish Tewari said, “Rajnath Singh should focus on strategic challenges instead of twisting and turning history to suit his narrative.”

Another Congress MP, Imran Pratapgarhi said, “Where did he even get such information from? He is the Defence Minister of the country. He has been a Chief Minister. He is considered a serious political figure, not like Modi ji. So he should at least maintain that dignity that whenever you make such statements, especially in a historical context, you must have factual evidence for it.”