New Delhi, Dec. 6 -- A political controversy has erupted following a claim by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh that Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel opposed a supposed proposal by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to use public funds for the reconstruction of Babri Masjid.
Speaking at a rally in Gujarat, Singh asserted that Sardar Patel was "truly secular'', and "firmly opposed and ultimately prevented" Nehru from using government money on the "Babri Masjid issue," contrasting this with the publicly-funded reconstruction of Somnath temple, which Patel spearheaded.
"Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was truly secular," Singh stated. "When Jawaharlal Nehru spoke about spending government funds on the Babri Masjid issue, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel opposed it. At t...