New Delhi: The Congress Wednesday accused Defence Minister Rajnath Singh of “twisting and turning historical past”, criticising him for his remarks that the nation’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru needed to construct the Babri Masjid utilizing public funds however that Sardar Patel didn’t permit his plans to succeed.

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra known as the comment a distraction, saying these points are raised to keep away from discussions on issues which are vital. Lok Sabha Chief of Opposition Rahul Gandhi selected not to answer Singh’s assertion, declining remark when reporters approached him outdoors Parliament.

Addressing an occasion in Vadodara, Gujarat, on Tuesday, Singh, who is usually seen as a reasonable face within the BJP in comparison with his extra hardline colleagues, sparked controversy by claiming that Patel stopped Nehru from utilizing public funds to rebuild the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya.

Singh added that when Nehru raised the difficulty of restoration of the Somnath temple, Patel defined “with firmness”, that the temple was completely different as a result of it was being funded by means of donations to a public belief.

Though Singh didn’t cite any sources in his speech, a number of BJP-leaning social media accounts on Thursday quoted excerpts from the e-book Inside Story of Sardar Patel: The Diary of Maniben Patel, which presents an identical narrative.

Responding to Singh, Congress MP Manish Tewari instructed reporters, “Rajnath Singh ought to give attention to strategic challenges as a substitute of twisting and turning historical past to go well with his narrative.”

Congress MP and Lok Sabha whip Manickam Tagore posted a protracted assertion on X, accusing Singh of mendacity and rewriting the previous to divide the current.

“There may be zero archival or documentary proof to assist it. Nehru explicitly opposed utilizing authorities cash for non secular locations, together with the reconstruction of the temple. He insisted it needs to be funded by means of public contributions, not the state. If Nehru refused public funds even for Somnath, a logo revered by thousands and thousands, why would he suggest spending taxpayer cash on Babri? The declare collapses below fundamental logic and historic report,” Tagore wrote.

Congress Rajya Sabha MP Imran Pratapgarhi additionally criticised Singh, disputing the declare.

“The place did he even get such data from? He’s the Defence Minister of the nation. He has been a Chief Minister. He’s thought-about a critical political determine, not like Modi ji. So he ought to at the least preserve that dignity that everytime you make such statements, particularly in a historic context, it’s essential to have factual proof for it,” Pratapgarhi stated.