Rajnath Singh and Jairam Ramesh
NEW DELHI: Parliament witnessed an unusual moment on Thursday when Congress MP Jairam Ramesh handed defence minister Rajnath Singh a copy of diary entries written in Gujarati by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s daughter, Maniben, and published in a book.Ramesh told Singh that the entries contained no reference to the defence minister’s recent claim that Nehru intended to rebuild the Babri Masjid using public funds.A video shows Singh stepping out of his car and being greeted immediately by Ramesh, who mock-saluted him before the two shook hands. “I’ve brought Maniben Patel’s diary… it’s in Gujarati,” the Congress leader told Singh. He replied, “We have it in English.”As the senior BJP leader started to walk away, Ramesh persisted and handed him the copy anyway. “But this one is in Gujarati… keep it and read it,” Ramesh insisted. “I don’t know Gujarati,” Singh responded.Also Read | ‘Distractions’: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra slams Rajnath’s ‘Nehru-Babri’ remark; how Rahul respondedThe exchange unfolded just days after the defence minister, during a speech in Gujarat — the home state of Patel, India’s first home minister — claimed that the stalwart had stopped Nehru, the country’s first prime minister, from rebuilding the Babri Masjid using public funds.Last week, the Congress cited diary entries from Maniben Patel’s book to counter the claim and demanded an apology for what it called “falsehoods.”Also Read | Congress cites Maniben’s diary, seeks apology from RajnathSingh and the BJP, however, have stood firmly by his remarks.
