New Delhi, Jan 5 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday drew a parallel between India's economic rise under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the historic reconstruction of the Somnath temple, asserting that the vision of prosperity articulated at the time of the shrine's consecration is now nearing fulfilment during the present government's tenure. 

The year 2026 marks 1,000 years since the first major attack on the Somnath temple in 1026. The occasion is being observed as a symbol of the temple's indomitable spirit and India's cultural resilience, highlighting how the shrine was rebuilt repeatedly after facing destruction by invaders over centuries.

Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi, party national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi recalled the words spoken during the reconstruction of the temple.

"I want to recall that during the reconstruction of Somnath, India's first President, Dr Rajendra Prasad, stated that the true completion of Somnath's consecration would occur when its prosperity is restored to the level that once drew the attack," Trivedi said.

He argued that India is now steadily progressing towards that benchmark of prosperity under Prime Minister Modi's leadership. According to Trivedi, the country's emergence as the world's fourth-largest economy reflects the realisation of that long-held aspiration.

The BJP spokesperson also referred to the historical context of the temple's reconstruction in 1951, claiming that it was carried out despite reservations expressed by then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

Reflecting on the journey across centuries, Trivedi said, "A thousand years later, we observe that in 1951, despite resistance from Jawaharlal Nehru, this aspiration was brought to life in the presence of the inaugural President, Dr Rajendra Prasad."

"Currently, under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India is moving towards prosperity, and that aspiration is now close to being achieved. The vision outlined in the Somnath resolution is now on the verge of becoming a reality," he added.

Earlier in the day, PM Modi also recalled the time when Pandit Nehru was not supportive of the idea of rebuilding the Somnath Temple and did not want top constitutional authorities to be associated with it in a secular nation.

In a blog post, the Prime Minister mentioned that the sacred responsibility of rebuilding Somnath Temple, which was attacked by the invaders in 1026, fell upon Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel after Independence.

He recalled that Sardar Patel's visit to the site during Diwali in 1947 deeply moved him, leading to the decision to rebuild the temple at the same location.

"On May 11, 1951, a grand Somnath Temple was opened to devotees in the presence of Dr Rajendra Prasad," he said.

"The great Sardar Sahib was not alive to see this historic day, but the fulfilment of his dream stood tall before the nation. The then Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, was not too enthused with this development. He did not want the Honourable President as well as Ministers to associate with this special event. He said that this event created a bad impression of India. But Dr Rajendra Prasad stood firm, and the rest is history," PM Modi wrote in his blog post.

Despite Pandit Nehru's objections, Sardar Patel, K.M. Munshi (who led the construction efforts), and President Rajendra Prasad were strong proponents of the temple's restoration as a symbol of national pride. The temple was ultimately restored using money collected from public donations and not government funds.

Pointing out that 2026 marks the thousand years since the Somnath Temple was first attacked by invaders in January 1026, PM Modi highlighted how the temple stands as the eternal proclamation of the Indian soul, asserting that while hate and fanaticism may have the power to destroy for a moment, faith and conviction in the power of goodness have the strength to create for eternity.