PM Modi On Somnath: ‘India & Somnath Will Remain Strong Despite All Forces’

Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted that after Independence, certain leaders tried to distance themselves from India’s heritage, including historic sites such as the Somnath Temple.

Addressing the crowd, he said, “India has sites like Somnath, thousands of years old, reflecting our strength, resilience, and traditions. Yet, people with a slave mentality tried to erase the history of this place.”

He honoured the countless individuals who protected the temple and said some tried to portray the repeated attacks on Somnath as mere looting for economic gain.

He said that if the attack had been merely for wealth, it would have stopped after the first raid 1,000 years ago, yet invaders attacked repeatedly, hiding the history of hatred and cruelty from the people.

PM Modi praised the leaders who restored the temple despite opposition, including Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, KM Munshi, and then President Dr Rajendra Prasad, as well as Maharaja Digvijaysinhji, whose donation helped rebuild the shrine.

The restoration was completed through public contributions, without using government funds.

He warned that similar forces, now using different methods to divide India, still exist and stressed the need for vigilance and unity.

PM Modi linked the temple’s revival with the broader vision of ‘Dev to Desh’ and a proud, awakened India, referencing initiatives such as the Ram Temple’s ‘Pran Pratishtha’, the Somnath Cultural University, and local fairs that preserve and celebrate India’s heritage.

Concluding his address, PM Modi called for continued awareness of India’s thousand-year-old heritage, saying, “We must introduce our legacy to every corner of the country and the world, celebrating it with pride as we realise the dream of a developed India.”

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