Forces that opposed Somnath temple reconstruction still active: PM Modi in Gujarat

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that forces that had opposed the reconstruction of Somnath temple now working through “other malicious means"

Veraval: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that forces that had opposed the reconstruction of Somnath temple are still active, now working through “other malicious means” instead of swords and the repeated attacks on the temple over centuries could not be explained just as “acts of economic plunder”.

PM Modi was speaking at the Somnath Swabhiman Parv held at Prabhas Patan in Gujarat to mark 1,000 years since Mahmud of Ghazni’s invasion of the Somnath temple in 1026 (ANI)

Speaking at the Somnath Swabhiman Parv held at Prabhas Patan in Gujarat to mark 1,000 years since Mahmud of Ghazni’s invasion of the Somnath temple in 1026, Modi said “If the attacks on Somnath were only for economic loot, they would have stopped after the first major plunder a thousand years ago. But that did not happen. The temple was attacked again and again, its idols were broken, its form was altered repeatedly, and yet we were taught that it was only about loot.”

The Prime Minister added that some historians and political figures after Independence tried to “whitewash” invasions and present them as routine acts of plunder, and that this approach weakened collective memory and disconnected later generations from the sacrifices made to protect centres of faith.

“Unfortunately, even today, forces remain active in the country that opposed Somnath’s reconstruction,” he said.

“Somnath Swabhiman Parv was not a commemoration of destruction but of continuity,” the Prime Minister said while addressing a gathering of saints, priests, elected representatives and devotees on the last day of the four-day Somnath Swabhiman Parv. “This festival is not merely a remembrance of the destruction that occurred a thousand years ago. It is a celebration of a thousand-year journey, and of India’s existence and pride.”

Tracing a chronological account of attacks and reconstructions, Modi said, “The history of Somnath is not one of destruction and defeat, but of victory and reconstruction... Invaders kept coming, but Somnath was re-established in every era.”

The Prime Minister recalled that a decision was taken to rebuild Somnath after Independence. He said Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s pledge to restore the temple faced resistance, including objections to President Rajendra Prasad attending the inauguration in 1951. Modi credited Jam Saheb Digvijaysinhji of Nawanagar, then ruler of Saurashtra, with supporting the project, contributing funds and serving as the first chairman of the Somnath Temple Trust.

He said the reconstruction completed in 1951 was an assertion of national self-respect, and that the completion of 75 years of the restoration in 2026 added significance to the current celebrations.

Highlighting initiatives taken by the government in the Somnath region — including the establishment of Somnath Sanskrit University, the expansion of Keshod airport to improve access for pilgrims, the launch of the Ahmedabad–Veraval Vande Bharat train, and the development of a pilgrimage circuit — Modi said, “Today’s India remembers its faith while empowering it for the future through infrastructure, connectivity and technology.”

The Prime Minister also connected cultural confidence with economic ambition. He said India was preparing to become the world’s third-largest economy and move further ahead. “Every Indian is committed to a developed India, and 140 crore people are determined towards future goals,” he said, adding that heritage sites like Somnath provided moral energy to these aspirations.

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and other dignitaries were present at the event. At the Shaurya Sabha, participants displayed placards highlighting Somnath’s history and messages linked to national goals, including “Viksit Bharat@2047”.

Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister participated in the Shaurya Yatra organised as part of the Somnath Swabhiman Parv. Modi was accompanied during the yatra by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, spokesperson minister Jitu Vaghani and Education Minister Pradyuman Vaja.