The legacy of India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru has been systematically dismantled over the years – through articles, memes and WhatsApp forwards.
In his address to the nation on Thursday, PM Modi said Article 370 did great harm to the people of J&K, making it a fertile ground for corruption, nepotism and separatism.
With the economy facing a slowdown, the Reserve Bank of India Wednesday cut the repo rate by 35 basis points in its fourth consecutive policy rate cut this year.
Many scholars have questioned the constitutional validity of Narendra Modi government's decision to scrap Article 370 that gives special status to Jammu & Kashmir.
Six months before the assembly elections, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has announced free electricity up to 200 units every month for consumers.
The irony with PC Alexander was that when Indira Gandhi returned to power in 1980, she handpicked him as Principal Secretary and he became her political adviser, conscience keeper and administrative trouble-shooter.
The 125 APAs include 86 Unilateral APAs (UAPAs) and 39 Bilateral APAs (BAPAs). The total number of APAs since the start of the APA programme has risen to 641, with 506 UAPAs and 135 BAPAs.
As the BJP heads for a likely third successive term in power, it's fascinating to debate how true it looks to the original proposition: a party with a difference.
Javaharlal Nehru was true nationalist who founded the modern India. The new leadership is finding fault with whatever he and successive governments did to conceal their own short commings. One cannot really compare the situation prevailed during the time of independence and now. Hope better sense will prevail in the days to come.
Nothing can absolve Nehru and the rest of India’s ‘ eminent leaders’ for the way partition was handled. No amount of white washing can absolve Nehru of this original sin. For all his mass following, Nehru never truly understood the people he ruled. His monumental blunder in neglecting primary education, healthcare and the welfare of the masses and his misguided social and economic policies laid the foundation of a denuded India, that is still struggling to get out of the ill effects of his legacy. All in all his mistakes far exceeded his achievements.
India’s literacy rate in 1947 was 12%, life expectancy was 31 years. The country’s economy under colonial rule had grown at 1% per annum, roughly equal to farmers’ incomes in the last five years. The ravages of WW II were still fresh memories. Amidst these ruins, no excuses or alibis, no cursing the past. The vision to create IITs, IIMs, ISRO, AEC, dams, steel mills. Each successor has had a bigger, stronger foundation to build upon. He loved the Indian people so profoundly, nothing would have pleased him more to have had his records and achievements eclipsed completely by his successors.
Yes from a certain point of view IITs, IIMs, steel mills, dams, AEC, ISRO etc. can be considered successes. IITs / IIMs provided excellent manpower for the West, subsidised by the Indian tax payer. The less said about India’s public sector behemoths, who are excellent at converting tax payer’s money into zilch, the better. Unfortunately Nehru with his Fabian socialist views and upper class British snobbery, laid down the map for India’s mai baap sarkar, where government knows everything, should do everything including running businesses, temples, banks, hotels etc. All his successors unfortunately followed in the same path, but he bears the cross for being the originator/ inspiration for all the policies that have resulted in India having one of the Lowest HDIs on the planet. His immense love for his people did not stop him from condemning them to a life of abysmal poverty, suffering and misery. But I do agree with you that he is not solely to blame.
Vish: I can suggest to you to read the chapter on Indira Gandhi (Chapter 46) in Sunil Khilnani’s beautiful book, ‘Incarnations – India in 50 Lives’. It offers a little window on Nehru’s attitude towards dynastic politics, and his integrity. And that for me personally reinforces my admiration for Nehru. Here’s an excerpt.
If you are read the hardback version, the last paragraphs on pages 536-537 and the first paragraph on page 538 are interesting. Just a little quote: “Although Nehru’s letters make clear he initially saw his daughter as more of calming influence than an adviser, she was soon taking over internal Congress matters for which he had little stomach…Shastri offered Indira Gandhi the portfolio of I&B, a minor cabinet position. She took it partly from a desire for financial security. Her estranged husband had died, leaving her no property. Her only income was the royalties from Nehru’s books. The family mansion had been donated to the nation as a museum, and she could no longer live in the PM’s residence.”
There is something called ‘bounded rationality.’ Every leader (in fact every human suffers from it). And that’s what happened during partition, 1962 war, Jinnah’s own vision of Pakistan. To be very honest, this current Kashmir move MAY become another example with Modi and Shah both getting struck by bounded rationality. The same will be the said of these two that they handled the whole thing very badly. And by the way, the link to buying this book is: https://www.amazon.in/Incarnations-History-India-50-Lives/dp/0143429337/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=incarnations&qid=1565780060&s=gateway&sr=8-1
Thanks. Read the book and heard it on BBC as well. I haven’t commented on his views on dynastic politics because can’t be sure if he wanted his daughter to take his place. Opinions are divided on that. But his dismissal of Kerala’s elected government ( on advice of his daughter?) does leave questions both on his integrity and his plans for his daughter. As for present government less said the better, the same old failed policies of the past, under new names.
Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru has the stature of Everest. He needs neither an outsized statue, nor an army on social media to defend his record of public service, broken into two parts, one ending, the other starting, on 15th August 1947. To be perfectly honest, he does not even require a port or roads or welfare schemes to be named after him. A very elegant, classy gentleman, but not in an affected, foppish way. He made his share of mistakes and misjudgments, notably 1962. However, educated Indians, who go to a conventional university, not the tacky WhatsApp groups, generation to generation, will learn to respect and admire him.
Javaharlal Nehru was true nationalist who founded the modern India. The new leadership is finding fault with whatever he and successive governments did to conceal their own short commings. One cannot really compare the situation prevailed during the time of independence and now. Hope better sense will prevail in the days to come.
Nothing can absolve Nehru and the rest of India’s ‘ eminent leaders’ for the way partition was handled. No amount of white washing can absolve Nehru of this original sin. For all his mass following, Nehru never truly understood the people he ruled. His monumental blunder in neglecting primary education, healthcare and the welfare of the masses and his misguided social and economic policies laid the foundation of a denuded India, that is still struggling to get out of the ill effects of his legacy. All in all his mistakes far exceeded his achievements.
India’s literacy rate in 1947 was 12%, life expectancy was 31 years. The country’s economy under colonial rule had grown at 1% per annum, roughly equal to farmers’ incomes in the last five years. The ravages of WW II were still fresh memories. Amidst these ruins, no excuses or alibis, no cursing the past. The vision to create IITs, IIMs, ISRO, AEC, dams, steel mills. Each successor has had a bigger, stronger foundation to build upon. He loved the Indian people so profoundly, nothing would have pleased him more to have had his records and achievements eclipsed completely by his successors.
Yes from a certain point of view IITs, IIMs, steel mills, dams, AEC, ISRO etc. can be considered successes. IITs / IIMs provided excellent manpower for the West, subsidised by the Indian tax payer. The less said about India’s public sector behemoths, who are excellent at converting tax payer’s money into zilch, the better. Unfortunately Nehru with his Fabian socialist views and upper class British snobbery, laid down the map for India’s mai baap sarkar, where government knows everything, should do everything including running businesses, temples, banks, hotels etc. All his successors unfortunately followed in the same path, but he bears the cross for being the originator/ inspiration for all the policies that have resulted in India having one of the Lowest HDIs on the planet. His immense love for his people did not stop him from condemning them to a life of abysmal poverty, suffering and misery. But I do agree with you that he is not solely to blame.
Vish: I can suggest to you to read the chapter on Indira Gandhi (Chapter 46) in Sunil Khilnani’s beautiful book, ‘Incarnations – India in 50 Lives’. It offers a little window on Nehru’s attitude towards dynastic politics, and his integrity. And that for me personally reinforces my admiration for Nehru. Here’s an excerpt.
If you are read the hardback version, the last paragraphs on pages 536-537 and the first paragraph on page 538 are interesting. Just a little quote: “Although Nehru’s letters make clear he initially saw his daughter as more of calming influence than an adviser, she was soon taking over internal Congress matters for which he had little stomach…Shastri offered Indira Gandhi the portfolio of I&B, a minor cabinet position. She took it partly from a desire for financial security. Her estranged husband had died, leaving her no property. Her only income was the royalties from Nehru’s books. The family mansion had been donated to the nation as a museum, and she could no longer live in the PM’s residence.”
There is something called ‘bounded rationality.’ Every leader (in fact every human suffers from it). And that’s what happened during partition, 1962 war, Jinnah’s own vision of Pakistan. To be very honest, this current Kashmir move MAY become another example with Modi and Shah both getting struck by bounded rationality. The same will be the said of these two that they handled the whole thing very badly. And by the way, the link to buying this book is: https://www.amazon.in/Incarnations-History-India-50-Lives/dp/0143429337/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=incarnations&qid=1565780060&s=gateway&sr=8-1
Thanks. Read the book and heard it on BBC as well. I haven’t commented on his views on dynastic politics because can’t be sure if he wanted his daughter to take his place. Opinions are divided on that. But his dismissal of Kerala’s elected government ( on advice of his daughter?) does leave questions both on his integrity and his plans for his daughter. As for present government less said the better, the same old failed policies of the past, under new names.
Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru has the stature of Everest. He needs neither an outsized statue, nor an army on social media to defend his record of public service, broken into two parts, one ending, the other starting, on 15th August 1947. To be perfectly honest, he does not even require a port or roads or welfare schemes to be named after him. A very elegant, classy gentleman, but not in an affected, foppish way. He made his share of mistakes and misjudgments, notably 1962. However, educated Indians, who go to a conventional university, not the tacky WhatsApp groups, generation to generation, will learn to respect and admire him.