Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday (January 13, 2026) said that India’s Sanatan Dharma, culture, and the faith of its people cannot be easily erased, pointing to the rebuilding of the Somnath temple despite repeated attempts to destroy it over the centuries.
He said that while those who attacked the temple eventually vanished, the shrine continues to stand proudly at the same site along the seashore in Gujarat’s Gir Somnath district.
Amit Shah was addressing a public gathering in Mansa town of Gandhinagar district after inaugurating and laying the foundation stone for multiple development projects worth ₹267 crore.
He noted that on January 11, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Somnath Swabhiman Parv to mark 1,000 years since Mahmud of Ghazni’s invasion of the Somnath temple in 1026.
“Even after being destroyed 16 times, the Somnath temple continues to stand tall a thousand years later, with its flag still flying high,” Mr. Shah said.
He further told the gathering that under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, a grand Somnath corridor is also being developed at the site.
He said the message to the world is that India’s Sanatan Dharma, culture, and the faith of its people cannot be easily erased, describing them as eternal and immortal, like the sun and the moon. The Somnath temple, he added, stands as a symbol of India’s faith, belief, and pride.
Amit Shah further said that the Somnath Swabhiman Parv will be observed for an entire year, with programmes organised across the country to awaken India’s collective consciousness and deepen the roots of Sanatan Dharma.
Recalling history, he said the Somnath temple was first destroyed a thousand years ago by Mahmud of Ghazni and was later attacked repeatedly by invaders such as Alauddin Khilji, Ahmed Shah, Mahmud Begada, and Aurangzeb. Each time, he said, the temple was rebuilt, reflecting the enduring spirit of India’s faith.