NEW DELHI, Jan. 16 -- In the late forties when the question of the reconstruction of Somnath temple came up, Gandhiji told Sardar Patel and others that he was in favour of rebuilding the temple, but it should not be done with government funds. It has to be undertaken wholly with private funds, Gandhiji was emphatic about it. When the time for its inauguration came, President Rajendra Prasad was invited to do that honour. He consulted Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru who dissuaded the former from it. Nehru told the President: "My dear Rajendra Babu, I confess that I do not like the idea of your associating yourself with a spectacular opening of the Somnath Temple. This is not merely visiting a temple, which can certainly be done by you or a...