BJP Cites Maniben Patel’s Diary to Defend Rajnath Singh’s Remarks on Nehru and Babri Masjid

New Delhi, December 3, 2025— The BJP on Wednesday leaned on a book written by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s daughter, Maniben Patel, to reinforce Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s claim that Jawaharlal Nehru wanted to use public money to build the Babri mosque. The party also highlighted Nehru’s discomfort with some South Indian temples, accusing Congress of ignoring historical records.

The Congress had earlier dismissed Singh’s statement as a “lie” and a “WhatsApp university story,” arguing that the defence minister should refrain from following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s style of political attacks. Singh made the claim during a public address in Gujarat’s Vadodara district, where he said Sardar Patel opposed Nehru’s alleged plan.

At a press conference, BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi cited Inside Story of Sardar Patel, Diary of Maniben Patel as the source. He said page 24 of the book records Nehru raising the Babri mosque issue, while Patel firmly told him that the government could not spend public funds on constructing a mosque. Patel, according to the book, drew a clear distinction between the proposed reconstruction of the Somnath temple—funded by a trust that had already gathered ₹30 lakh—and the Babri mosque.

Trivedi said Patel’s clarification reportedly “silenced Nehru.” He also criticised Congress for reacting without understanding the historical references and insisted the party should brief its leaders better before responding.

He added that Nehru had written to Jam Saheb discouraging him from attending the Somnath temple inauguration and noted that attempts were made to prevent then-President Rajendra Prasad from participating, although he chose to attend.

Trivedi further claimed that Nehru, during an event in Delhi in 1959, had said he felt “repelled” by certain South Indian temples despite their architectural grandeur, describing them as oppressive and spirit-suppressing. He contrasted this with Nehru’s admiration for the Taj Mahal, which he called “astoundingly beautiful.”

The BJP leader accused Congress of avoiding uncomfortable historical facts and said the party must “check the DNA of its political history” rather than dismiss documented accounts.