India must stay united to defeat forces that opposed Somnath rebuilding: PM Modi

Somnath (Gujarat), Jan 11: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Sunday, said the forces that had opposed the reconstruction of the Somnath temple in Gujarat after independence are still active, and India needs to remain alert, united and powerful to defeat them.

Modi was speaking at Somnath Swabhiman Parv held here to mark 1,000 years since Mahmud of Ghazni's invasion of the Somnath temple in the year 1026.

After independence, when Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel took the oath of rebuilding the Somnath temple, his path was obstructed, he said.

"Those involved in appeasement knelt before such people with extremist mindset, those forces are still present between us who tried to obstruct the rebuilding of the Somnath temple. We need to remain alert, united and powerful to defeat such forces," Modi said.

The history of Somnath is not that of destruction and defeat but of victory and renewal. This is the cycle of time that fundamentalist invaders are now reduced to pages of history, but the Somnath temple still stands tall, he said.

Modi said, "The true history of hatred, atrocity and terror was concealed from us and we were taught that the attack was an attempt to loot the temple."

"Somnath's tale is the story of India; foreign invaders tried to destroy India many times, like this temple. The invaders thought that they had won by destroying the temple, but after 1,000 years, the flag of Somnath is still flying high," Modi said.

Later in the day, Modi participated in the Somnath Shaurya Yatra, part of the Swabhiman Parv celebrations.

The procession featured groups playing the damru and a striking contingent of 108 horses drawn from different parts of Gujarat. The Prime Minister rode in an open-top vehicle during the yatra.

The procession began at Shankh Circle and covered nearly a kilometre to Veer Hamirji Gohil Circle, facing the Somnath temple complex. At the start of the yatra, Modi briefly played a drum before handing it over to security personnel.

Crowds lined both sides of the route, cheering and showering flower petals as the procession moved forward. Artistes performed various classical and folk dance forms of India on stages erected at intervals along the route.

The contingent of 108 horses drew particular attention. The riders, drawn from the Gujarat Police, wore starched white shirts, khaki trousers and saffron headgear.

“These horses and riders are from different districts of Gujarat. We belong to the Gujarat Police and rehearsed for the last 10 days. I am a constable from Patan district and feel proud to be part of this Shaurya Yatra,” Bharat Kumar Jatabhai said, patting his 17-year-old horse, Garud, a Kathiawari–Marwari mixed breed. He said about 10 horses in the procession were from Patan district.

Prime Minister Modi arrived in Somnath on Saturday evening on a two-day visit. The Swabhiman Parv, being held from January 8 to 11, commemorates 1,000 years since the invasion of the Somnath temple by Mahmud of Ghazni, according to the Prime Minister’s Office.

PTI