BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi has stirred a fresh political controversy by alleging that Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru actively opposed the reconstruction of the Somnath Temple, describing it as damaging to India’s international image. Trivedi shared a detailed thread on Twitter on Monday, shedding light on Nehru’s alleged objections to one of India’s most iconic temple restorations.

In his tweet, Trivedi wrote: “Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru did not even want the reconstruction of the Somnath Temple to take place. Everyone knows that Pandit Nehru not only wrote letters to cabinet ministers but also to President Dr Rajendra Prasad and Vice President Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, raising questions about the need for the reconstruction of the Somnath Temple and advising them against attending the inauguration ceremony.”

Trivedi went on to allege that Nehru’s objections were far-reaching, extending to all Indian Chief Ministers. According to the BJP MP, Nehru “wrote letters twice to all Indian Chief Ministers, complaining about the construction of the Somnath Temple and stating that it has damaged India's image abroad.”

The controversy, Trivedi claims, went beyond political correspondence. He alleged that Nehru even communicated with India’s then Minister of Information and Broadcasting, R.R. Diwakar, urging him to limit media coverage of the temple’s consecration ceremony. Nehru reportedly described the event as “ostentatious” and warned that it could harm India’s global image. Trivedi’s tweet further claims that Nehru expressed dissatisfaction over the President’s planned participation in the ceremony.

The BJP MP’s remarks have reignited a long-standing debate over the reconstruction of the Somnath Temple, originally destroyed by invaders and rebuilt in the post-independence era. The temple, located in Gujarat, remains a symbol of cultural revival and national pride for many, while its reconstruction has historically been viewed as controversial in certain political circles.

Trivedi’s thread ended with a pointed question, asking why Nehru took such a strong stance against the temple’s reconstruction, leaving the matter open for public and political debate.