'Learn Gujarati if...': Jairam Ramesh takes on Rajnath Singh on Nehru, Babri Masjid claim

Ramesh strongly criticised the Centre after the special discussion in Parliament over "Vande Mataram" and said that the debate was held to tarnish the legacy of the former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Saturday took a dig at Defence Minister Rajnath Singh over the latter's claim that former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru wanted to use government funds to build Babri Masjid and said that he handed over Maniben Patel's diary to the BJP leader and asked him to learn Gujarati language "if he wants to survive in the government".

Speaking to ANI, Congress general secretary (communications) said, "Rajnath Singh criticised Nehru and Babri Masjid and quoted Maniben Patel's diary, so I showed it. I handed over the translation of the diary and asked where the mention of Nehru was in it. I wanted to tell him to learn Gujarati if he wants to survive in the government."

Defence Minister said on December 3 that Patel did not look to appease communities, unlike Nehru, who questioned the reconstruction of the Somnath Temple in the Gir Somnath district.

"Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was truly secular. He never believed in appeasement. When Jawaharlal Nehru spoke about spending government funds on the Babri Masjid issue, if anyone opposed it, it was one born in Gujarat, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, who opposed it. At that time, he did not allow the Babri Masjid to be built with government money," Rajnath Singh said.

Ramesh strongly criticised the Centre after the special discussion in Parliament over "Vande Mataram" and said that the debate was held to tarnish the legacy of the former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. He said the government claimed it wanted to honour the 150th anniversary of "Vande Mataram", composed by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, while simultaneously insulting Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore.

"The only intention was that amid the upcoming election in West Bengal, defame Pandit Nehru. But what happened when we revealed the truth and facts based on documents. They wanted to honour and celebrate the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram, composed by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, but they are constantly insulting Rabindranath Tagore amid this. We totally condemned this, and I kept the facts authenticated in the Parliament," Ramesh said.