Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said empires created through terror were never permanent, against the backdrop of the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan.

Modi, who has so far maintained silence on the developments in Afghanistan, made the remark while virtually laying the foundation stones for several projects at the Somnath temple in his home state Gujarat.

He referred to how the Somnath temple had survived multiple attacks in the past and stressed its relevance in the modern world.

“The Somnath temple faced attacks many times. Idols were desecrated several times and attempts were made to wipe out its existence. But it came up in its full glory after every destructive attack, which gives confidence to us,” Modi said, addressing the event from Delhi.

“Forces that strive for destruction and those who follow the ideology of creating empires through terror can dominate for some time, but their existence is never permanent as they cannot suppress humanity,” he added.

Modi said this was true when tyrants were demolishing the Somnath temple and even during the current times, appearing to make an oblique reference to the developments in Afghanistan.

India has hurriedly closed its mission in Afghanistan and evacuated officials and journalists after the Taliban seized Kabul early this week. The government has so far dodged questions on any contact with the upcoming regime in Afghanistan where India is heavily invested.

Politically, given the BJP’s Hindutva ideology, the government is wary of having any direct and official contact with the Taliban.

BJP leaders have been using the Taliban surge for political and electoral gains.

Home minister Amit Shah also joined Friday’s event virtually from Delhi. Veteran BJP leader L.K. Advani, too, was in attendance.

Advani has a deep connection with the Somnath temple as he had undertaken a rath yatra from Somnath to Ayodhya in the early 90s that had contributed to the rise of the BJP as a formidable political force in the country.