Contrasting Consecrations at Somnath and Ayodhya Temples

Satya Narayana Sahu, in his timely articles in NEWSClick (Link) and The Wire (Link), shines a light on the secular behaviour of our late PM Nehru and contrasts it with the totally non-secular and overboard triumphalist extravaganza happening at Ayodhya. Nehru was not alone in the stand he took to avoid participation in the Consecration ceremony he was invited for and his advice to Dr Rajendra Prasad and other State functionaries to follow suit. The President had written to Nehru soliciting his advice – and Nehru had replied in clear terms that State functionaries should not participate in religious programs. Other leaders who supported Nehru’s stand included: Mahatma Gandhi, B.R. Ambedkar, Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad, S. Radhakrishnan, C. Rajagopalachari, Zakir Hussain and Mridula Sarabhai. Nehru had recognised the Consecration event as something more than merely religious – he considered it political and revivalist.

Mahatma Gandhi: “I would not spend a single pie of public money on the Somnath temple. If I had my way, I would not spend a single pie of the public money on any temple or mosque or church. I would spend it on education, on health, on roads, on sanitation, on water supply, and on other things which are essential for the welfare of the people.” IE Ref

• Maulana Abul Kalam Azad: “The reconstruction of the Somnath temple is a matter of Hindu sentiment, and the government should not interfere with it. But the government should also not associate itself with it in any way, as it would violate the principle of secularism and create a sense of insecurity among the minorities.” TheWeek Ref

• BR Ambedkar: “The Somnath temple is a symbol of Hindu revivalism, and the government should not lend its support to it. The government should be neutral in matters of religion, and should not favor any particular community or faith. The government should also protect the rights and interests of the minorities, and prevent any communal violence or hatred.” NH Ref

• Zakir Hussain: “The Somnath temple is a matter of personal faith, and the government should not be involved in it. The government should maintain a distance from all religious affairs, and should not endorse or sponsor any religious activity. The government should also ensure that the secular character of the state is not compromised, and that the harmony and unity of the nation is not disturbed.”

According to the web search results, Sardar Patel had replied to Mahatma Gandhi that not a single rupee of government money was being spent on the Somnath Temple project. This is correct, as Patel had assured Gandhi that the project was funded entirely by private donations and crowd funding, and that the government had no role in it Vfindia Ref TheWeek Ref.

It is also reported that Patel was himself instrumental in the Somnath Temple construction. This is also correct, as Patel was the one who announced the decision to rebuild the temple after the integration of Junagadh state with India in 1947. He also appointed K.M. Munshi, his minister of works and housing, as the chairman of the Somnath Temple Trust, and gave him full support and guidance for the project TheWeek Ref PMIndia Ref.

However, Patel was not involved in the Consecration of the temple, as he passed away in December 1950, before the completion of the project. The Consecration ceremony was held in May 1951, and was attended by Dr Rajendra Prasad, the then President of India, despite the opposition of Jawaharlal Nehru, the then Prime Minister of India IE Ref .

Mani Shankar Aiyar – Quoted from his article: On emerging from the challenge to his secularism from within, Nehru, on Gandhi Jayanti, 1951, gave the nation his understanding of secular activism: “If anyone raises his hand against another in the name of religion, I will fight him till the last breath of my life, whether from within the government or outside.” Thus, was laid the foundations of secular India.