The Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, established in 1966 in the house where Nehru once lived as Prime Minister, has now been renamed, leaving Nehru’s legacy as a faint echo in modern India. His contributions are systematically removed from textbooks, and his absence was glaring in a poster commemorating India’s 75th Independence Day, published by the Indian Council for Historical Research. Ironically, this poster included Savarkar, who had sought clemency from the British, but omitted Nehru, who endured nine years of imprisonment during a thirty-year struggle for India’s freedom, standing alongside Gandhi.
This campaign to erase Nehru from India’s collective consciousness serves a single purpose: to obliterate the memory of the man who envisioned India as a secular and democratic state rather than a Hindu Rashtra.
Nehru’s Vision for India
During his imprisonment, Nehru penned monumental works such as Glimpses of World History and Discovery of India. These writings, rich with historical and societal insights, reflect Nehru’s scientific perspective and modern understanding of society—qualities that shaped his role in building an independent India.
Nehru believed in the Indian ethos as a culmination of diverse cultures and civilizations. From the Indus Valley to the Aryans, Iranians, Greeks, Parthians, Scythians, Huns, Arabs, Turks, Christians, Zoroastrians, and Mughals—each left an indelible mark on Indian culture. He saw the essence of India’s spirit in its diversity, molded by centuries of trade, migrations, and cultural intermingling. For Nehru, figures like Buddha, Ashoka, Khilji, Akbar, Vivekananda, and Gandhi represented the cultural mosaic that defined India.
Gandhi and Nehru: The Unbreakable Bond
This alignment of ideals is now recognized as the “Gandhi-Nehru motif” in history. The motif embodies values of democracy, secularism, scientific temper, empathy for the poor, and universal suffrage. These principles became the foundation upon which Nehru built independent India.
Navigating Partition’s Turmoil
The Partition of India was the largest displacement in human history, leaving five hundred thousand dead and millions displaced. The communal riots that ensued claimed Gandhi’s life and tested the Gandhi-Nehru motif’s resolve to build India on secular and democratic values.
As interim Prime Minister, Nehru worked with Sardar Patel, then Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister, to ban the RSS and imprison around 25,000 of its activists to quell communal violence. Nehru’s bold decision to conduct universal elections, granting every citizen the right to vote regardless of caste, religion, or gender, laid the groundwork for India’s democratic identity.
The first general elections in 1951 symbolized a referendum on whether India would become a secular democracy or a Hindu Rashtra. Parties like the Hindu Mahasabha, Bharatiya Jana Sangh, and Ram Rajya Parishad, advocating for a Hindu state, managed only 6% of the vote and won 10 seats in the Lok Sabha. In contrast, Nehru’s Congress, promising secular democracy, secured 364 seats—a testament to the wisdom of the Indian electorate.
Nehru’s Battle Against Communalism
Building India’s Foundations
Nehru firmly believed that India’s linguistic, cultural, and religious diversity could thrive only under the freedom ensured by democracy. Amartya Sen, echoing this sentiment, warned against “the threat to Indian democracy posed by religious fascism.”
Nehru’s vision extended to economic and cultural development:
- He established public sector enterprises to foster industrialization.
- Built massive dams to support agricultural growth.
- Founded prestigious institutions like IITs for educational advancement.
- Created research centers to promote scientific innovation.
- Established cultural academies like the Sahitya Akademi, Lalit Kala Akademi, and Sangeet Natak Akademi to preserve India’s artistic heritage.
Nehru’s Challenges and Legacy
- Secular Governance: Nehru separated religion from politics, emphasizing respect and coexistence among all communities. This alienated those who wanted Hindu dominance.
- Partition’s Inevitability: Critics blame Nehru for the Partition, but it was historically inevitable given the Muslim League’s staunch demand for Pakistan. Amid the chaos, Nehru risked his life to pacify communal tensions, walking the streets of riot-affected areas and declaring, “If anyone wants to attack, they must first kill me.”
- Economic Policy: Nehru’s mixed economy is often criticized, but the public sector foundations he laid continue to support India’s growth. The privatization of public assets today highlights the stark contrast between Nehru’s vision for collective prosperity and current trends favoring private gain.
- Cultural Restraint: Nehru resisted reconstructing historical temples like Somnath and Ayodhya, arguing that the government should stay out of religious matters. He feared reopening historical wounds would amplify divisions.
Conclusion
Nehru was a scholar, statesman, and visionary who understood history, human progress, and the essence of India’s pluralism. He built a secular, democratic India, defending it against majoritarian ambitions.
The ongoing vilification of Nehru—removing his name from institutions, spreading false narratives—stems from resentment over his steadfast refusal to allow a Hindu Rashtra. His legacy stands as a bulwark against communal forces and a reminder of the modern, secular India he envisioned.
History will remember Jawaharlal Nehru as the man who averted the calamity of majoritarianism and preserved the soul of India.
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