Modi takes dig at Rahul for visit to Somnath temple

Somnath, Nov 29 (IANS) On the Gujarat campaign trail, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday slammed Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi for his visit to Somnath temple, saying the country's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had opposed the idea of building a temple.

"If there was no Sardar Patel, the temple in Somnath would never have been possible. Today some people are remembering Somanth, I have to ask them - Have you forgotten your history? Your family members, our first Prime Minister, was not happy with the idea of a temple being built there," Modi said while addressing an election rally in Prachi.

He said that when Dr. Rajendra Prasad was to come to inaugurate the Somnath temple, Pandit Nehru expressed his displeasure.

"Sardar Patel dreamt about the Narmada but your family did not let that dream fulfil," he said.

Hitting out at the Congress for blocking the passage of a bill in Rajya Sabha that confers constitutional status on the National Commission for Backward Classes, Modi said he will ensure that the bill gets passed in the upcoming Winter Session of Parliament.

"Congress is seeking votes of the OBC communities but they should answer why they did not allow the OBC Commission to get Constitutional status all these years. We brought in the move. It was passed by Lok Sabha but stalled in the Rajya Sabha, where Congress has majority."

He said that Parliament is meeting soon and he would ensure passage of the Bill.

"I want to assure you, Congress may try to put roadblocks, I am committed to ensure their designs fail. Parliament is meeting soon and we are going to bring that issue on the floor of the House again. We want to give our OBC communities their due," he said.