Bengaluru, Jan 10 (AHN) The Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said on Saturday that the historical Somnath temple was rebuilt against former Prime Minister late Jawaharlal Nehru's consent after the country's Independence.

Former Deputy Chief Minister Govind Karjol made the statement while speaking to the media after a special pooja organised on Saturday morning at the Kadumalleshwara Temple in Malleshwaram to mark 75 years since the reconstruction of the Somnath Temple.

Karjol said the Somnath Temple is an ancient shrine with a history spanning more than 1,000 years.

He added that the historic Somnath Temple was rebuilt against the consent of former PM late Jawaharlal Nehru.

He said that after the reconstruction, the temple was formally consecrated and dedicated to devotees in 1951.

"Today, around 140 crore people across the country visit the Somnath Temple with devotion and faith and offer their prayers," he added.

Karjol said that not only the BJP, but Hindus across the country are performing special worship in their respective towns and villages to mark the anniversary of the temple's reconstruction.

"Similarly, under the leadership of our State party President B.Y. Vijayendra, BJP workers have also performed special pooja today. With devotion and faith, we all chanted 'Om Namah Shivay' and prayed for the well-being of everyone and for universal welfare," he added.

He said the temple was completely destroyed during Mughal invasions and its wealth was looted.

"After Independence, when Jawaharlal Nehru became the country's Prime Minister, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in 1948 said that the destruction of one of Hinduism's most prominent temples had hurt Hindu identity and proposed that the temple be rebuilt. However, Nehru opposed the proposal and said that under no circumstances should the temple be reconstructed," Karjol added.

He recalled that leaders such as K.M. Gadgil and K.M. Munshi supported Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and insisted that the temple must be rebuilt.

"Even though Nehru continued to oppose it, these leaders (K.M. Gadgil and K.M. Munshi) persisted."

Karjol said that former Union Education Minister Maulana Abul Kalam Azad later suggested that the temple be handed over to the Archaeological Department.

"Despite differing opinions, when all these leaders insisted that the temple must be rebuilt and its past glory restored, the Somnath Temple was ultimately reconstructed in defiance of Jawaharlal Nehru's consent," he added.

State BJP President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra said that as part of the 'Somnath Swabhiman Parv', BJP workers and patriots across the country offered special prayers at Shiva temples and chanted the 'Om Namah Shivay' mantra 11 times.

Former Deputy Chief Minister Govind Karjol, State BJP Secretary Ambika Hulinaykar, Bengaluru North District President S. Harish, and Bengaluru Central District President Saptagiri Gowda were present on the occasion.