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

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.