Nehru Was 'Completely Transparent': Congress Responds To BJP's Charge On 'Somnath Temple' Remark

Congress slammed BJP leader Sudhanshu Trivedi's claims that former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was opposed to then-President Rajendra Prasad's association with the Somnath temple.

Congress Leader Jairam Ramesh. ( Image Source :PTI )

The Congress responded to BJP leader Sudhanshu Trivedi's assertions that former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru opposed then-President Rajendra Prasad's relationship with the Somnath temple, saying Nehru was "completely transparent." Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, "Sudanshu Trivedi has apparently waved some letters on air — of Pandit Nehru on the Somnath Temple. These and many other letters of Nehru, including to then Home Minister Rajaji and President Rajendra Prasad, are all in the public domain and form part of Vol 16-I of the Second Series of the Selected Works of Jawaharlal Nehru available online at http://nehruselectedworks.com."

"Contrary to what Trivedi claims these constitute no great revelation. Nehru was completely transparent and left behind written records — written by him personally. Here is some correspondence on the subject that Mr. Trivedi did not exhibit," Ramesh stated in a post on X while sharing the letters.

Sudanshu Trivedi has apparently waved some letters on air — of Pandit Nehru on the Somnath Temple. These and many other letters of Nehru, including to then Home Minister Rajaji and President Rajendra Prasad, are all in the public domain and form part of Vol 16-I of the Second… pic.twitter.com/jiL6wRzJCZ

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) January 11, 2024

In a letter, dated March 11, 1951, released by the Congress, Nehru told then-home minister C Rajagopalachari that "I wrote to him that while there was obviously no objection to his visiting this temple or any other temple or other place of worship normally, on this particular occasion the inauguration of the temple would have a certain significance and certain implications. Therefore, for my part, I would have preferred if he did not associate himself in this way."

"As the president is also anxious to associate himself with this function, I do not know whether it is desirable for me to insist that he should not do so. I propose, therefore, subject to your advice, to tell him that he can exercise his own discretion in the matter, although, I still think that it would be better for him not to go there," Nehru also said.

Nehru also wrote to then-President Rajendra Prasad on his visit to the Somnath shrine on March 13, 1951, stating: "...If you feel that it will not be right for you to refuse the invitation, I would not like to press my point any further".

Nehru wrote to Prasad again, stating that his visit to the Somnath temple was gaining "a certain political importance" and that he was being questioned about it in Parliament, to which he replied that the government had nothing to do with it.

Earlier in the day, noting that Nehru was opposed to the association of then-President Prasad and some Congress leaders with the rebuilding and inauguration of the Somnath temple, BJP leader Trivedi claimed the Congress is carrying on his legacy and has rejected Mahatma Gandhi's 'Ram Rajya' concept.

Its administration under Indira Gandhi fired on cow-slaughter protesters, and when Sonia Gandhi was president, Lord Ram was portrayed as a fictional entity, he noted.

Trivedi's remarks came after Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury "respectfully declined" an invitation to attend the Ram Temple consecration ceremony in Ayodhya, accusing the BJP of turning it into a "political project" for electoral gains.