Restoration of Somnath temple's glory by covering it in gold answer to desecration in past: Shah

BJP president Amit Shah said on Thursday that people should not harbour anger against those who plundered the historic Somnath temple in Gujarat in the past but resolve to restore its glory by "completely covering it in gold".

Shah, who's a trustee of Shree Somnath Trust, made the remarks after laying the foundation stone for a tourist walkway along the nearby coast.

"Around one crore devotees come here every year. The trust has taken many initiatives to handle the rush. However, I feel the development of the temple is incomplete," said Shah.

"For people like me who are attached to this temple since childhood, the development is meaningless until it is fully covered in gold," he said.

Historical records suggest that the temple was once covered in gold and silver and a number of people sacrificed their lives to protect it, he said.

"Though the temple was destroyed and looted many times in the past, people should not hold any grudge or think about taking revenge," the BJP president said.

"The only reply is -- take a vow to restore the temple's glory. The speed at which the work is going on, you will soon be able to see all the 'kalashas' (ornamental vases atop the temple's spires) covered in gold," he said.

He also recalled the contribution of the country's first president, Rajendra Prasad, and leaders such as K M Munshi and Morarji Desai in restoring the temple after Independence.

Historical records suggest that the temple was vandalised by foreign invaders 17 times between the 11th and the 18th century.

The 1,500-metre tourist walkway, to be built at a cost of Rs 45 crore, is a project of the central government's Tourism department under its 'Prasad Scheme'.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and veteran BJP leader L K Advani are also the trustees of the temple.

The temple, one of the 12 'jyotirlings', is situated in Prabhas Patan town, commonly known as Somnath.

Earlier in the day, Shah and his family members offered prayers at the temple.