Legacy Clash: Nehru Memorial Museum Renaming Sparks Controversy as Congress Accuses Modi of Denigration
TEN NEWS NETWORK
New Delhi, August 16, 2023: The renaming of the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library to the Prime Ministers’ Museum and Library Society has stirred up controversy, with the Congress party accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of aiming to “deny”, “distort”, “defame”, and “destroy” the legacy of India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru.
In response, the opposition party emphasized that despite this “relentless assault,” Nehru’s legacy will endure, inspiring generations to come.
In a statement on X, Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh remarked, “From today, an iconic institution gets a new name. The world-renowned Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML) becomes PMML—Prime Ministers’ Memorial Museum and Library.”
Ramesh criticized Modi’s approach towards Nehru, stating, “Mr. Modi possesses a huge bundle of fears, complexes, and insecurities, especially when it comes to our first and longest-serving Prime Minister. He has had a single point agenda of denying, distorting, defaming, and destroying Nehru and the Nehruvian legacy.”
“He (Modi) has erased N and put P instead. That P is really for pettiness and peeve,” added Ramesh.
Ramesh emphasized that despite the attempts to diminish Nehru’s contributions, his role in the freedom movement and his achievements in establishing the democratic, secular, scientific, and liberal foundations of the Indian nation-state remain undeniable.
The Nehru Memorial Museum and Library’s renaming officially took effect on August 14, as stated by a senior official. The Vice Chairman of the Prime Ministers’ Museum and Library’s executive council shared the news on social media, stating that the change aligns with the society’s broadened scope.
The renaming decision, made during a special NMML Society meeting in mid-June, has faced backlash from the Congress party. The Teen Murti Bhavan, the former official residence of Jawaharlal Nehru, has held symbolic significance in India’s political history.
